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/ 








JILL’S RED BAG 


/ 

By AMY LE FEUVRE 

Author of 

Probable Sonsf **The Odd One," etc. 



New York Chicago Toronto 
Fleming H. Revell Company 
London and Edinburgh 



Copyright, 1903, by 


FLEMING H. REVELL 

(April) 


COMPANY 



THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

Two Copies Received 

APR 9 1903 

Copyright Entry 

I 



New York: 158 Fifth Avenue 
Chicago : 63 Washington Street 
Toronto : 27 Richmond Street W 
London : 21 Paternoster Square 
Edinburgh : 30 St. Mary Street 


CONTENTS 


I. 

“ What Can Be Done with 



Them?’^ .... 

I 

11 . 

** We’re to Have a Governess” 

12 

III. 

“ The Golden City ” 

24 

IV. 

“Let’s Be Truants! ” 

37 

V. 

“ A Very Solemn Vow ! ” 

53 

VI. 

“ God’s Cabbages ” 

67 

VII. 

The Trespasser 

80 

VIII. 

“ I Must Love First, before I 



Can Give” 

99 

IX. 

Trying to Be “ Double Good ’ 

114 

X. 

A Paper Chase 

131 

XI. 

A Donkey Ride 

148 

XII. 

The Bishop and the Geese 

165 

XIII. 

Mona’s Tenth 

179 

XIV. 

“You and Your Red Bag Are 



at the Bottom of It All ! ” 

192 

XV. 

“ Worn Out in a Good Service ” 

205 




Jill’s Red Bag 


I 


WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THEM ? 



I, Jack! do let her go! I’ll 
make you if you don’t ! ” 


V — X Get away ! She’s an early 

Christian, and I’m seeing if she’s a real one.” 

It’s Sunday, and if she screams much 
louder, they’ll hear in the drawing-room.” 

It’s a proper Sunday game, and I don’t 
care for anybody in the drawing-room ! ” 

When Jack was defiant, Jill knew it was a 
hopeless case. 

She sat on the back of a cane chair, her feet 
beating a tattoo- on its seat; and a twinkle of 
amusement succeeded the marked disapproval 
in her big blue eyes when Jack proceeded to 
stuff his victim’s head into a pillow-case. 

Six-year-old Winnie, or Bumps, as she was 
called, was always a ready subject for her 
brother’s ingenious mischief. S|he worshipped 


2 


Jill’s Red Bag 


the ground he trod upon, and would promise 
to be all that he desired, until the experience 
of it proved too much for her endurance. She 
was at present gagged and bound with bedroom 
towels, antimacassars, and pocket-handker- 
chiefs combined. She had been rolled over and 
over on the floor, with Jack on the top of her, 
and now he announced in an offhand tone — 

‘‘ She’s going to be put into a sack and 
thrown into the river, and that will be the end 
of an early Christian.” 

“Where’s the river?” asked Jill with in- 
terest. 

“ The bath-room, of course. Go and fill the 
bath.” 

Jill laughed, and started up to obey. The 
fun of such a prospect before her overcame her 
scruples. But in her haste she overbalanced 
herself, and came with a crash to the floor. 
Her screams united with Winnie’s brought two 
people to the nursery, and the first one to open 
the door was a young man. 

“ Good gracious ! ” he ejaculated, “ what a 
scene ! ” 

He might well say so. The nursery floor 
was covered with a medley of furniture. 


“What Can Be Done with Them?” 3 


toys, and miscellaneous articles that clearly had 
no business there. In her fall Jill had caught 
hold of a tablecloth, and swept to the ground 
the remains of the nursery tea. Broken plates, 
a stream of milk, and bread and butter were 
mingled with the entangled bodies of the three 
children. Bumps had escaped from the pillow- 
case, but was rolling about screaming lustily; 
Jack was trying to extricate Jill out of the 
meshes of the broken chair, and a small terrier 
puppy was dancing to and fro, and worrying at 
everything in turn. 

'' Oh it’s you. Captain Willoughby,” said 
Jack, getting upon his feet. “ It’s a pretty 
mess. I’m afraid.” 

“You young scamp! I bet you are the 
originator of it! Your sister is wondering if 
the ceiling will withstand your onslaughts. Ah, 
here she is to speak for herself.” 

A pretty delicate-looking girl with dark hair 
and eyes and impulsive manner stood at the 
door. 

“Oh, you children!” she exclaimed. 
“ Where is nurse? And what are you doing? 
Don’t you know you ought not to romp like 
this on Sunday ? ” 


4 


Jill’s Red Bag 


Nurse is at her tea. She gave us ours too 
early. ’’ 

Jill had struggled to her feet by this time, 
and was rubbing the back of her head ruefully. 

Captain Willoughby was busy releasing 
Bumps from her bonds. 

It strikes me there has been a bit of bully- 
ing going on here,’^ he said, eyeing Jack se- 
verely. '' Is this the way you generally treat 
your small sister ? 

“ She likes it,’^ asserted Jack eagerly. On 
my honour she does — don’t you. Bumps ? ” 

“ Yeth, I does ! ” sobbed his victim. 

Nurse has no business to leave you,” said 
Mona Baron decisively, as she gave a sharp pull 
to the nursery bell. Now, Jill, pick up some 
of these things at once. Why can’t you keep 
Jack quiet? I don’t know which is the worse 
of you. It is six of one and half-a-dozen of 
the other ! ” 

She did not speak angrily, for these three 
pickles always afforded her considerable amuse- 
ment. But she felt that a limit must be drawn 
somewhere, and when the nurse appeared, con- 
siderably ruffled by her sudden recall from the 
servants’ hall, she was spoken to so sharply by 


^*What Can Be Done with Them?” 


5 


her young mistress that she gave notice on the 
spot. 

Mona went hack to the drawing-room with 
Captain Willoughby. 

‘‘ That makes the fifth nurse we have had in 
ten months/’ she said. “ What can be done 
with them? They are too small to go to 
school.” 

Can’t you get a governess ? ” 

I suppose I must try. But I was made so 
miserable myself as a small child by one, that I 
resolved never to give them the chance of such 
an experience. I must talk it over with Miss 
Webb.” 

The nursery party up-stairs soon calmed 
down. Nurse restored order, and set the three 
delinquents in separate corners of the room. 
Her tongue was a powerful one, and she did 
not spare them. 

I shall be thankful to get out of the house, 
for never in my life have I seen such bold, 
owdacious children, and no respectable woman 
would stand it. Your sister ought to look after 
you herself, and then she’d know what you 
were like. She dances out to all her gaieties 
with that lazy Miss Webb, who’s in a field of 


6 


Jill’s Red Bag 


clover if any one is, and expects me to grind 
on in this four-walled room without a friend to 
keep me company. I would as soon be in prison, 
and Fm not going to stand it. And as for you, 
with your monkey tricks and your wicked ways, 
you want to be well whipped and placed in a 
reformatory. That’s the place for the likes of 
you!” 

No one dared speak. She talked on in the 
same strain for a good quarter of an hour, then 
dared them at the peril of their lives to move 
from their seats, and walked down to the serv- 
ants’ hall again. 

“ Sunday is a dreadful day,” observed Jill 
plaintively. ‘‘ I wonder what it was made 
for I ” 

“ I s’pose God thought it would make people 
good,” said Jack; “it may do grown-up people 
good, but it makes children dreadfully wick- 
ed!” 

“ Yes,” assented Jill; “ because there’s noth- 
ing to do after church, and we’re always shut 
up in this old nursery. When I grow up I shall 
live in a house without any doors, so that I can 
never be shut up anywhere ! ” 

Jack looked across at his sister meditatively. 


‘‘What Can Be Done with Them?” 7 


“ Then what would you do when robbers 
came 

rd run away, of course, stupid ! 

They’d soon catch you. We’ll try it to- 
morrow. I’ll be the robber, and you can leave 
all the doors open to give yourself a chance, 
and I’ll give you five minutes’ start.” 

“ Me too ! ” exclaimed Bumps, removing her 
thumb from her mouth, which she had been 
contentedly sucking. 

Oh, you ! ” said her brother scornfully. 
” You can’t even be an early Christian without 
screaming the house down! But you’ve done 
one good thing! Nurse is going, and a jolly 
good job too! Nurses are all rot! ” 

Jill shook her head doubtfully. 

“We shall only have another worse than 
this one ! I wish we could do without them, like 
the Clarkes. Their mother looks after them.” 

“ That’s because they’re poor — ^George told 
me so.” 

“ What’s poor ? ” asked Bumps. 

“ It’s having no money,” explained Jill. 

“ But we haven’t no money,” argued Bumps. 

“No, you little stupid, but Mona has. I 
heard nurse say she was an heiress, and that’s 


8 


Jill’s Red Bag 


an awfully grand thing to be, it’s next to being 
a princess in a fairy-book.” 

“Now we’ve sat still long enough,” an- 
nounced Jack with a yawn. “ We’ll have a 
kind of ‘ Puss in the Corner.’ Our chairs will 
be the corners. We can easily get hack to them 
before nurse comes.” 

“It’s Sunday,” objected Jill again. 

“ Here’s Miss Webb ! ” shouted Jack. 

A stout, pleasant-faced lady came into the 
room as he spoke, and saved the situation, for 
restless Jack could never stay quiet for long. 

The little Barons could remember neither 
father nor mother. Their mother had died at 
Bumps’ birth, their father a year after. He 
had married twice, and Mona was the daughter 
of his first wife. Miss Webb, a cousin of Mr. 
Baron’s, had taken charge of the household 
after his death; but when Mona had finished 
her education she came home, and when she 
came of age and inherited a good bit of money. 
Miss Webb still stayed on as her chaperon. 

The children were fond of Miss Webb, 
though they did not see much of her, and their 
faces brightened at her appearance. 

“Your sister asked me to come and see jf 


‘‘What Can Be Done with Them?” 


9 


order had been restored/’ she said, smiling. 
“Why, you are as quiet as mice! Now, why 
can’t you always sit still like this ? ” 

“We were just going to finish it,” said Jill. 
“ We’ve been here ages. Do you like Sunday, 
Miss Webb? We don’t.” 

“ I think I used to when I was a little girl,” 
said Miss Webb, taking a seat by the nursery 
fire, and placing Bumps upon her lap. 

Jack and Jill came to her side at once. 

“ Do tell us about it. What did you do? ” 

“ My mother used to have me down-stairs 
in the drawing-room in the afternoon, and show 
me lovely pictures out of some books she had, 
and talk to me about them. I had no brothers 
and sisters, and I used to be allowed to dine with 
her and my father, and sometimes she sang to 
me. She had a beautiful voice, and she would 
play hymns for me to sing with her.” 

“Ah,” said Jill, with a long-drawn breath 
and a wistful look in her eyes; “but then, you 
see, we haven’t got a mother.” 

“ But you have a nice kind sister,” said Miss 
Webb, pity filling her heart for the children 
who had never realised a mother’s love. 

“ Yes,” said Jack; “ Mona is very good, but 


lO 


Jiirs Red Bag 


she’s always out, and she does' make Sunday 
nice to us.” 

“ May we thing hymns in the drawing- 
room ? ” asked Bumps eagerly. 

''Yes,” said Miss Webb on the impulse of 
the moment, "you shall. Nurse has made 
you tidy, so come along, just as you are.” 

Down two flights of stairs they scampered, 
delighted at the prospect of leaving the nursery. 
They found Mona leaning back in an easy- 
chair by the fire. A butler was removing the 
tea, and Captain Willoughby was standing, 
hat in hand, saying good-bye. Mona’s other 
Sunday visitors had taken their leave. Slie 
looked up astonished when she saw the 
children. 

"Now, what are you doing. Miss Webb?” 
she said, laughing. " Bringing them in their 
right minds to express contrition for their Sab- 
bath-breaking? ” 

" No,” said Miss Webb quietly. " They are 
going to sing some hymns. I thought you 
would like to play for them.” 

Mona elevated her eyebrows. 

" Wish I could stay to join you,” said Cap- 
tain Willoughby, " but I’ve promised my' 


‘‘ What Can Be Done with Them ? ” 1 1 


mother to take her to evening church. Au re- 
voir ! ’’ 

He departed. Mona got up from her seat 
and went to the piano. Then she twirled round 
on the music-stool and confronted Miss Webb. 

'' What new freak is this she asked, laugh- 
ing. 

Miss Webb looked at her gravely. 

“We were wondering why Sundays should 
be such a trial,’’ she said, “ and Jill solved the 
problem. She said it was because they have no 
mother. I reminded them that they had you, 
and we finally bethought ourselves of hymn- 
singing down here.” 

Mona’s laughing dimples faded away. She 
turned to the piano, her little sisters and brother 
clustered round her, and soon the sweet, child- 
ish voices were uplifted in song. 

When bedtime came Bumps said ecstatic- 
ally, “ Thinging hymns in the drawn-room is 
nearly as nithe as thinging them in heaven ! ” 

“ When did you sing them there ? ” demand- 
ed Jack. 

And Bumps replied promptly, “Before I 
wath a baby.” 


II 


‘ WE^RE TO HAVE A GOVERNESS ^ 


“M 


ISS JILL, your sister wants to 
speak to you/’ 

Jill was curled up on the 
nursery hearthrug, reading a story-book, and 
sucking peppermints. She had a slight cold, 
and had not accompanied Jack and Bumps in 
their daily walk with nurse. She jumped up 
with alacrity. 

‘‘ Where is she, Annie? Not in the drawing- 
room ? ” 

No, in the library,” answered the nursery- 
maid. 

Jill dashed down-stairs, and burst open the 
library door very noisily. She drew back when 
she saw a strange young lady in earnest con- 
versation with her sister ; and she was conscious 
of a rough head of hair, a buttonless shoe that 
was being trodden under heel, and some very 
sticky fingers. 


19 


We’re to Have a Governess” 


13 


Mona turned round. 

“This is one of them, Miss Falkner. Shake 
hands with this lady, Jill.’' 

Jill kept her hands behind her back. 

“ They’re sticky,” she said, staring at Miss 
Falkner in wonder. 

“ Never mind,” said Miss Falkner with a 
smile. “ You are fond of peppermints, are 
you ? ” 

Jill stared the harder, then she said— 

“ How did you know ? Cook gave them to 
me. She said they were good for a cold.” 

“ You do look a little object,” said Mona, 
drawing Jill to her, and smoothing her hair as 
she spoke. “ She is the eldest. Miss Falkner, 
then comes Jack, then Winnie. They are very 
backward for their ages, I am afraid, but you 
will remedy that.” 

Jill’s blue eyes scanned Miss Falkner up and 
down. “ Who was she? ” she wondered. 

“ Can you read, dear ? ” asked Miss Falkner. 

Jill nodded. 

“And write?” 

Another nod. 

Mona gave her a little shake. 

“ Speak properly, Jill. Where are your man- 


14 


Jill’s Red Bag 


ners? You are like a little savage this after- 
noon. I am sure it is high time you had a 
governess to keep you in order.” 

Mona did not often speak so crossly. 

Jill darted away from her with scarlet cheeks 
and flashing eyes. Who is she ? and what 
does she waiit ? ” she demanded passionately. 

Is she a governess ? Because, if she is, I hate 
her!” 

Then flying out of the room she banged the 
door violently behind her, and raced up-stairs, 
never drawing breath till she reached the nurs- 
ery. Here she flung herself down face fore- 
most on the hearthrug, and when a little time 
later Jack and Bumps rushed in, they found 
her still muttering angrily to herself. 

Jack at once flung himself on the top of her. 

You’re in a tantrum ! What have you been 
doing?” 

Jill would not answer till she had extricated 
herself from his clutches. Then she sat up and 
tossed her long hair back from her flushed little 
face. 

We’re to have a governess! ” 

''Hurray!” shouted Jack. "Good-bye to 
nurses, who are rotten rot ! ” 


“We’re to Have a Governess” 


IS 


“ And I’ve seen her,” pursued Jill, shaking 
her head mournfully; “ and I was rude to her, 
I told her I hated her, and she’ll never forgive 
me. Mona was so cross, and then I was, and 
of course the governess will hate me back, and 
we’ll fight from the very beginning ! ” 

“ What was she like? ” demanded Jack. 

“ Like any other person,” said Jill crossly. 

Is she coming to tea? ” asked Bumps with 
round eyes. 

Jill looked at her small sister scornfully. 

She’s coming to breakfast, and dinner, and 
tea, for ever and ever; she’s just like a nurse, 
only it will be lessons all day long, and punish- 
ments.” 

This depressing view had no effect on Jack. 

“We can play truant,” he suggested eagerly. 
“ Boys do that when they go to school — -at least 
in books they do. To be sure,” he added 
thoughtfully, “ they always come to a bad end 
and wish they hadn’t, but before the end comes, 
it’s jolly.” 

“ Is truant a nice game? ” asked Bumps. 

Jill’s brown eyes began to dance with mirth. 

“ So we will,” she exclaimed. “ We’ll settle 
what to do at once. We must save up bits of 


JilFs Red Bag 


i6 


cake and biscuits, and anything else we can 
stuff in our pockets, for we must have food.” 

“ But,” objected Jack, looking thoughtful, 

it’s winter, and I think you can only be tru- 
ants in summer. You always spend a day in 
the woods and have a kind of picnic, and you 
must be in the country to do it, and we’re in 
a town.” 

“ What does that matter ? ” said Jill impa- 
tiently. “ We’ll show how we can truant. I’ll 
think of the most splendid things when I’m in 
bed to-night.” 

All her ill temper vanished. Jill’s thoughts 
in bed were the admiration of her brother. His 
brain was a quick and busy one, but nothing to 
be compared to Jill’s. He laid the foundation 
for many a mischievous scheme, but it was Jill 
who took it up and worked it out. 

Bumps was at present a nonentity, but she 
was a sturdy little follower, and would as cheer- 
fully have tried to walk a tight-rope as to eat 
her dinner, had she seen the others attempt it. 

“ When shall we start? ” pursued Jack — to- 
morrow? ” 

I don’t know when she’s coming,” Jill re- 
plied. 


‘‘We’re to Have a Governess” 


17 


“ I think we shall have to do lessons with her 
one day first/' said Jack, “ because we shan’t be 
proper truants unless we do.” 

'' Oh yes, and if it’s a very wet day we won’t 

go-” 

It was a great disappointment to them when 
Mona came into the nursery that evening and 
called them to her. 

“ A very nice lady named Miss Falkner is 
coming to live with us,” she began. 

“ I know ! ” exclaimed Jack. ‘‘ She’s a gov- 
erness. Is she coming to-night ? ” 

Oh dear, no, not for another month, when 
we go down to Willowlands.” 

The children’s faces fell. Willowlands was 
their country home, and it was only shut up for 
three months in the winter. They liked Lon- 
don best, and were always sorry when their 
time came to leave it. 

Mona watched their expressive faces. 

“ You must try to be very good till she 
comes,” she said cheerfully. The time will 
soon pass. Jill, what made you so naughty 
this afternoon? I was quite ashamed of you.” 

Jill got very red, and twisted her hands to- 
gether, as was her habit when embarrassed. 


i8 


Jill’s Red Bag 


Then she looked straight at her sister with a 
defiant sparkle in her eyes. 

“ Of course we don't like her," she said. 

You've told us how you used to hate your 
governess, and we shall do it too." 

“ Oh dear ! " said Mona with a smile and a 
groan. “ I'm always so stupid when I talk to 
you. My governess was very different from 
Miss Falkner — she was a tall, grim, strict old 
thing, who never smiled. I've found you a 
very different kind of governess, and you will 
all love her, I feel sure." 

I wish she was coming now," said Jill 
gloomily. 

“ Why? What a queer child you are." 

“ It's only," explained Jack hastily, we've 
settled to do something when she comes, and 
we don't like waiting." 

“What is it?" asked Mona unsuspiciously. 

“Oh, it's a secret," exclaimed Jill; “we 
aren't going to tell any one." 

“ I hope it isn't anything naughty. I wish 
you would try to be good. I can't think why 
you are always in mischief ! " 

She left them. Jill was up on the window- 
seat drumming her fingers on the pane. 


“We’re to Have a Governess” 


IS) 


“ I wish/' she said at length, “ that the king 
would pass a law that for one day every child 
could do exactly what they liked, that they could 
be just as naughty as ever they wished to be. 
Why, there are crowds and crowds of things 
that I'm longing to do, only Mona would think 
it wicked ! " 

“ And God would too," put in Jack, who in 
spite of his mischievous rollicking ways had oc- 
casional qualms of conscience. 

Jill looked at him meditatively. 

“ I try and think God looks the other way 
sometimes when we're doing things. That's 
what I shall do when I have any children. I 
shall only look at them when they want me to ! 
It's a pity this governess isn’t coming soon ; but 
we’ll have plenty of time to save heaps of food 
for our truant day, and I'll think out some 
lovely things to do on it." 

“ I think," said Jack, “I’ll keep the food in 
my play-box that locks up. Lumps of sugar 
will be a very good thing to save up." 

“ And treacle pudding," put in Bumps anx- 
iously. She was only too eager to bring contri- 
butions to Jack's secret store. He kept his box 
in a corner of the nursery, and more than once 


20 


Jill’s Red Bag 


had to interfere when Bumps was eagerly put- 
ting all kinds of her favourite puddings into 
screws of paper and attempting to stuff them in 
with drier and more suitable food. 

This hope of “ playing truant ” did much to 
comfort them in the dread of possible lessons 
and punishments. Jill’s programme for “ tru- 
ant day ” grew more glorious as time went on, 
and when her imagination sometimes failed be- 
fore Bumps’ eager and original questions, Jack 
came to her rescue and threw himself gallantly 
into the breach. 

What shall we do if there are no black- 
berries or nuts in the woods to eat, and a mad 
bull has eaten all our food, and the sun has 
dried up all the ponds and rivers so that we 
can get no water ? Why, you stupid, of course 
we’ll go up to a cottage like beggars, and they’ll 
give us some food.” 

Bumps nodded contentedly, 

“ We’ll be proper beggarth, with no shoeth 
and stockingth, and we’ll have no hat, and I’ll 
tear a ’normouth hole in my frock ! ” 

The time seemed to pass very slowly, but 
the month wore away, and then came the move 
into the country. 


We’re to Have a Governess” 


21 


For the first few days after their arrival the 
children ran wild. Nurse was too busy un- 
packing and arranging things to heed them, and 
their adventurous spirits led them into every 
kind of mischief. 

Then Mona was appealed to, and she made 
short work of nurse’s complaints. 

“ I don’t care what they do as long as they 
don’t hurt themselves. Miss Falkner is com- 
ing the end of the week, and then she will be 
entirely responsible for them.” 

And so, after a long and tiring journey, 
when Miss Falkner arrived at the house, this 
is what she saw in the hall — 

Bumps seated in a large copper coal-scuttle, 
which was suspended by a rope from the stair- 
railings above. Her face, pinafore and hands 
were covered with black coal-dust, for the con- 
tents of the coal-scuttle had been hastily emp- 
tied into the hall fire-place, and Bumps had 
taken her place without a thought of conse- 
quences. 

Jack, with red and hot cheeks, was sitting 
astride of the balustrade and trying vainly to 
haul up his heavy load, being in danger of over- 
balancing himself with his exertions, and Jill, 


22 


Jiirs Red Bag 


arrayed in all the coats and wraps that she could 
find, was ambling about on all fours making 
sudden rushes at the coal-scuttle, which was 
just high enough to swing over her head. All 
three children were screaming at the top of 
their voices, and when William the butler came 
forward to open the door, nothing that he 
could do or say seemed to have any result. 

It was not till a very bright clear voice spoke 
that there was a sudden hush. 

Are these my little pupils ? ’’ 

Jill threw off her disguise and stood upon 
her feet. Jack scrambled down from his post, 
and Bumps was the only one that continued her 
occupation. She swimg helplessly to and fro, 
and puckered up her face as if she were medi- 
tating a weep. 

“Take me down, Jack,’^ she whined; “I’m 
thy!” 

Miss Falkner lifted her down. 

“Now, what game is this, I wonder she 
said. “ It looks most interesting ; do tell 
me.” 

“ It’s a princess being rescued from a drag- 
on,” said Jack eagerly. “ And I’m the one 
who saves her; I’m the prince! ” 


We’re to Have a Governess” 


23 


Miss Falkner smiled, and her smile embold- 
ened Jack still further. 

'‘Everybody is out,” he informed her; 
" Mona and Miss Webb have gone to a party. 
WeVe had our tea, and nurse has gone down- 
stairs to have hers. She's going to-morrow, 
because you’ve come, and I’m jolly glad too! 
And if you make haste and have your tea, you 
can come back and be the old queen who has 
lost the princess. It’s a jolly game. Jill and I 
made it up ourselves.” 

" I think I should like some tea very much,” 
said Miss Falkner, following William up-stairs. 

Won’t you all come and talk to me while I 
have it ? ” 

When Mona returned home just before din- 
ner, she found the children clustering round 
their new governess in the school-room, whilst 
she related to them some childish reminiscence 
of her own. Their rapt attention proved she 
could interest them, and Mona said to Miss 
Webb triumphantly — 

" I have succeeded at last in finding some 
one who will manage them.” 

Miss Webb shook her head doubtfully. 

“ Time will show,” she said wisely. 


Ill 


THE GOLDEN CITY 


NOTHER Sunday. The children had 



been to the little village church in 
the morning, and now after their 


early dinner were discussing plans for the af- 
ternoon in the school-room. It was a lovely 
day. The French windows were open, and the 
green lawn, with its fringe of young larches 
and birches at the bottom of it, looked very in- 
viting to the little ones. 

This lawn was their special property. It was 
not so smoothly rolled and cared for as were 
the two on which Mona had her croquet and 
tennis, but then, when cricket and rounders 
were as often the order of the day as anything 
else, it was not to be expected that its turf 
would be as well preserved. It belonged to the 
children, and their little feet used it well. 

Shall we be naughty or good ? ” questioned 
Bumps anxiously. 

Jill screwed up her mouth and nose impa- 
tiently. 


24 


The Golden City 


25 


“Shut up, Bumps; you shouldn’t ask such 
silly questions. Jack and I are going to be 
what we like. I don’t think we shall want you 
at all.” 

“ Oh, she can come if she likes,” said Jack, 
“ we may want her. We’re going to play a 
proper Sunday game — one out of the Bible.” 

Jill looked at her little sister meditatively. 

“ She would make a good Joseph ! ” 

“Yes,” cried Jack, cutting a caper; “and 
there’s the rubbish-pit in the backyard, she 
could never climb up without a rope.” 

“ But there’s the coat of many colours,” said 
Jill slowly; “we must have that.” 

There was silence. Bumps looked slightly 
uneasy. 

“ The rubbith-pit is very dirty, and I’ve 
got my bestest frock on,” she ventured. 

Jill turned upon her severely. 

“ You ought to be thankful to be Joseph, 
Bumps. He was an awfully good little boy, 
you can’t do wrong if you play at being him. 
S’posing if we told you to be Cain, how would 
you like that? ” 

“There’s my striped red-and-blue jersey,” 
broke in Jack, “ we’ll dress her up in that.” 


26 


Jill’s Red Bag 


“ Yes, go and get it quick, and I’ve got some 
yellow ribbon that Mona gave me; we’ll twist 
it round and round, and it will look splendid ! ” 
It was unfortunate, from the children’s point 
of view, that Miss Falkner should take it into 
her head to come into the room just when 
Bumps was being arrayed in her many-coloured 
garment. They had taken it for granted that 
she would retire to her room for a long after- 
noon nap, after the custom of their nurse. 

Bumps was quite happy now. She stood on 
a chair with beaming pride, whilst Jill wound 
her yellow ribbon round and round the coloured 
jersey, till she looked like some fat wasp. 

Jack with his hands in his pockets was watch- 
ing the proceeding impatiently. 

“ Hurry up, Jill — and, I say! we haven’t half 
talked it out. How shall we manage to dip it 
in blood, and who’s to be old Jacob? ” 

Jill wa.s never at a loss. 

“ I’ll be Jacob. I can easily be him, and 
we’ll get a can of water, and one of Mona’s 
red paints — the oil ones in the tubes — I’ll soon 
make some blood.” 

Then Miss Falkner spoke. 

‘‘ I did not mean to leave you so long, chicks. 


The Golden City 


27 


but I was looking in my box to see if I could 
find a story-book to read to you. I haven’t been 
successful, but I thought we would all go out 
on the lawn and sit under the trees, and then I 
would tell you a story ! ” 

The children’s faces looked rather blank. 

“ We’re having a game, thank you,” said 
Jill slowly, striving to be polite. 

Why are you making Winnie such a guy? 
I think we must leave such games for week- 
days.” 

“ Oh, but,” said Jack eagerly, this is a Sun- 
day game; we’re most partic’lar to play only 
Sunday games on Sunday. Mona likes us to.” 

But Miss Falkner showed a bold front. 

I cannot have it,” she said decidedly; ‘‘ take 
that jersey off, Winnie, and come out into the 
garden with me.” 

It was Miss Falkner’s first Sunday. Her 
little pupils were still in awe of her,' but their 
disappointment was great, and they followed 
her out into the garden with sullen, angry faces. 

Yet when they were settled under a lime-tree 
with chairs and cushions, the sweet spring air 
and sunshine, and the singing of the birds, 
charmed their discontent away. 


28 


Jiirs Red Bag 


Miss Falkner could tell a story well, and they 
knew it. Bumps sat on a cushion at her feet, 
Jack lay on his back on the grass with another 
cushion tucked under his head, and Jill was 
curled up in a big wicker-chair sitting on her 
feet in true tailor fashion, as was her custom. 

'' Once upon a time,” began Miss Falkner, 
there lived two children who were orphans. 
They were a boy and a girl named Rufus and 
Cicely. They had no one to care for them and 
love them, for an old uncle with whom they 
lived could not bear children, and told them to 
keep out of his sight and way as much as pos- 
sible. They used to spend most of their time 
out of doors, and would wander over the coun- 
try day after day, taking their dinners in their 
pockets, and only coming home at bedtime. 
One day they went out feeling very unhappy. 
Their uncle had been very angry with them, 
and told them to be gone, and never come back 
again, for he was sick and tired of keeping them 
in his house. They walked on and on through 
a wood, and at last came out on the other side 
to the banks of a river which they had never 
seen before. Cicely was tired, so she sat down 
on the grass, and Rufus did the same. It was 


The Golden City 


29 


very quiet, and they soon fell asleep, but 
after a time they awoke with a start. An 
old man with a kind face and a grey beard 
was speaking to them. He held a letter in 
his hand. 

‘ This is a letter for you, dear children, 
from a King who loves you, and wants you to 
come to Him in His Golden City.’ 

‘ For us? ’ said Rufus; ‘ it must be a mis- 
take. No one loves us, no one wants us.’ 

‘ My Master does. Read His message.’ 

Rufus took the letter. His name and 
Cicely’s were written upon it. He opened it. 
In golden letters which shone like the sun was 
written — 

‘ Come unto Me. Those that seek Me early 
shall find Me. This is the way, walk ye in it.’ ” 

Jill sharp eyes were lifted at once to her 
governess’s face. 

That sounds like a text,” she said. 

Miss Falkner made no remark, but went 
on — 

“ Rufus read the letter through again and 
again. 

“ ‘ What does it mean ? ’ he asked. ‘ Where 
does this King live? Where is the way to Him? 


30 


Jill’s Red Bag 


We would like to go to Him if He wants us, 
would we not, Cicely ? ’ 

“ ‘ Oh, yes,' Cicely cried. ‘ Let us go at once. 
Show us the way.' 

“ The old man smiled. 

“ ‘ Are you in earnest ? ' he asked. ‘ Do you 
really want to go to my Master ? Then follow 
me. He has sent me to show you the way.' 

“ Then he led the children to the bank of the 
river, and told them to look across it. They 
saw on the other side a green hill with people 
walking up, and at the very top some glittering 
golden gates. 

* That is the Golden City,' he said gently. 
‘ If you want real happiness it is to be found 
inside those gates; no pain, no unkindness, no 
disappointment ever finds its way there, and 
no sinJ 

“He said these last words very solemnly. 

“ Rufus and Cicely began to feel uncom- 
fortable. 

“ ‘ We aren’t altogether good,' they said. 

“ Then they looked about them with interest. 
They saw other children trying to cross the 
river; one boy was rowing himself across in a 
boat, another was building a bridge, some were 


The Golden City 


31 


standing on the bank hesitating. One little 
girl and boy bravely jumped in and began 
wading through it. 

^ They will be drowned/ exclaimed Cicely. 

‘ How shall we get across ? In a boat ? ’ 

‘^The old man shook his head. 

‘‘ ‘ It is the King’s wish that all travellers 
shall arrive at His gates with spotlessly clean 
clothes. Look through this telescope and you 
will see what is written above the gates.’ 

“ The children looked through eagerly, and 
Cicely spelled out : " “ There shall in no wise 
enter into it anything that defileth.” ’ 

“ ‘ What does that mean ? ’ she asked. 

‘ It means that no dust or dirt of any kind 
is allowed inside.’ 

Rufus looked down at his boots and clothes, 
then at his sister’s. 

“ ‘ We are very muddy,’ he said; ‘how can 
we make ourselves clean ? ’ 

“ ‘ By plunging into this river and being 
washed,’ the old man said. ‘ The King’s Son 
made this river. It cost Him His life, but it 
was the only way travellers could be cleansed. 
Look up at that sign-post and read what it 
says.’ 


32 


Jill’s Red Bag 


‘‘ Rufus read : ‘ Wash and be clean/' “If 
I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me." ' 

“ ^ The river is the only true way to the 
Golden City,' the old man said. ‘ You will 
only be turned away at the gates if you arrive 
there without washing in the river. That boy 
you see building a bridge is very eager and 
earnest, but his clothes will be too travel-stained 
and dusty to allow him to enter the gates when 
he gets there. He has made a wrong start, and 
is trying to reach the Golden City in the wrong 
way.' 

“ ‘ And the boy in the boat ? ' asked Rufus. 

“ ‘ He is wrong too, he too has overlooked 
the first start of all. The King would never 
have placed the river there if He did not mean 
every one to go through it.' 

“ Then Rufus led Cicely down to the river. 

“ ‘ We will go through,' he said. ‘ We want 
to be washed clean.’ 

“ Cicely was rather frightened at first, but 
the river was not deep, and when they clam- 
bered up the other side, they found to their de- 
light that their clothes were new and fresh and 
clean. Then they started walking up the hill. 

“ It was steep and stony, but they kept their 


The Golden City 


33 


eyes fixed on the golden gates, and presently 
they found their old friend by their side again. 

Other people were climbing the hill, but 
many had never been through the river, and 
they were so dusty and shabby that their chance 
of entering the city was small indeed. Suddenly 
Cicely, who had been walking carelessly, stum- 
bled and fell. She picked herself up, but her 
clean frock was soiled. She began to cry. 

' I can’t keep myself clean,’ she said; ^ what 
shall I do?’ 

The old man took hold of her hand and 
showed her a little stream running along by 
the side of the path. 

‘ It comes from the river,’ he said, ‘ and 
is always close to you. You can wash in it 
whenever you get yourself dirty.’ 

So Cicely dried her tears and quickly 
washed away her stain, and she went on hap- 
pily with her brother. They walked with other 
children a part of the way; sometimes they 
found themselves alone; sometimes the path 
was rough, sometimes easy, and after a long, 
long time they reached the Golden City. It 
was a happy day for them then. They were 
tired, but they forgot their troubles when they 


34 


Jill’s Red Bag 


saw the lovely gates. Two shining angels 
stood by the entrance, and they only let those 
in who had been washed in the river. They 
were the only ones who arrived in clean clothes. 
The others sadly turned away. Then Rufus 
and Cicely saw the King Himself. He came 
to meet them, and His look and smile was won- 
derful. I cannot tell you what He said, but 
He put His hands upon their heads and blessed 
them, and they followed Him up the golden 
street. 

Miss Falkner paused. There was a short 
silence, then Bumps remarked reflectively — 

“That was Jesus; no one puts their hands 
on children’s heads and blesses them except 
Him!” 

“ It’s a sort of parable, isn’t it? ” asked Jack. 
“ I don’t like parables, they make me feel so 
muddled. I love the Pilgrim's Progress if no- 
body tries to explain it. But it gets so mixed 
up when they do, that it’s quite spoilt ! ” 

“ Would you like me to explain my story?” 
asked Miss Falkner gently. 

“ No,” said Jack promptly. 

“ Yes,” said Jill, in the same tone. 

“We ought to be all journeying to the Gold- 


The Golden City 


35 


en City every day/' said Miss Falkner. ‘‘ I 
have only told you about the start, because I 
wanted you to make the right beginning. Per- 
haps some of you have started, have you? ” 

The children made no answer. Jill uncurled 
her feet, and her big questioning eyes were 
fixed intently upon her governess. 

‘‘I haven't started," she said abruptly. 

“ The King wants you quite as much as He 
wanted Rufus and Cicely," Miss Falkner said 
softly; “ He wants all three of you." 

'' But where's the river? " asked Jack. 

“ Jesus Christ is the Water of Life, His 
blood that He shed will wash you whiter than 
snow. You must go to Him and ask Him to 
cleanse you, and then you will be able to start 
on your journey." 

'' I like journeys," announced Bumps, only 
dimly understanding the allegory, “ partic'ly 
when we have thandwiches." 

Jack rolled over on the grass. 

It will be a first-rate game," he said, rising 
to his feet; I think better than Joseph! ” 

Then he caught sight of an early butterfly, 
and in a moment was off across the lawn in pur- 
suit of it. 


36 


Jill’s Red Bag 


The little party broke up. Bumps trotted 
after Jack, but Jill betook herself to their ham- 
mock. Here she swung herself to and fro 
wrapped in deep meditation. The Golden City 
had entranced her. For the first time in her 
little life she began to long to be good, and 
later on that day, after she had been put to bed, 
Miss Falkner heard her murmur in her sleep — 
“ I’ll start to-morrow ! ” 


IV 


‘‘let^s be truants!” 

B ut tomorrow found her with different 
intentions. She awoke at six o’clock, 
the birds were singing, and the sun was 
streaming through the yellow blinds, bathing 
the room in golden light. 

Jill and Bumps slept in a room leading out 
of Miss Falkner’s, Jack had a small room across 
the passage. Softly Jill stole out of bed and 
peeped out of the window. It was a morning 
that would tempt any one out of doors. She 
saw a bright blue sky and sunny meadows. The 
fresh green trees, the spring flowers, the sweet 
scents of early morning all seemed to say, 
“ Come out and enjoy us I ” 

Jill’s cheeks grew rosy at a thought that 
flashed through her brain. 

She opened the door softly and crossed the 
passage. Turning the handle of Jack’s door 
she whispered, ‘‘ Jack I Are you awake? ” 

Jack sprang up at once. 


37 


38 


Jill’s Red Bag 


Of course I am. What do you want? ” 

'' Let’s be truants to-day.” 

‘‘Oh, jolly! When? How?” 

Jill came in and sat on the bottom of the bed. 
“We must go before breakfast, or we shan’t 
be able to get away without being seen. Miss 
Falkner sends Bumps and me down at half-past 
seven, and breakfast isn’t ready till eight, so 
we shan’t be missed. You get the food ready 
and dress as quick as you can.” 

“ And where shall we go ? ” 

“ Anywhere. What does it matter ? I’ll go 
back and wake up Bumps and tell her.” 

Jill crept back to her room, and Bumps, a 
sleepy fat bundle, was shaken into conscious- 
ness. 

When she understood she was delighted, and 
was full of fuss and importance at once. 

“ I’ll take my best china mug on the mantel- 
piece to get some water from a thtream; and 
do you think I might take a umblella, because 
it might come on a thunderstorm; and shall I c, 
take my thpade and bucket I took to the thea? ” 

“ Hush,” whispered Jill; “ you’ll wake Miss 
Falkner. You needn’t take anything, you little 
stupid! Keep quiet, and do what I tell you.” 


‘‘Let’s Be Truants!” 


39 


Bumps was not crushed. She kept up an in- 
cessant stream of shrill whispers till Jill refused 
to respond, and then she confided the whole 
plan of action to a beloved rag doll that she 
always took to bed with her. 

It was hard to keep the secret from Miss 
Falkner, who always helped them to dress, but 
at last they were dismissed, and scampered 
down-stairs. Jill had quietly conveyed their 
hats and boots into the passage before-hand, so 
they had no difficulty in getting themselves 
ready for their day out. 

Jack joined them in the hall below. One of 
the maids noticed them but thought they were 
going into the garden, which indeed they did, 
though they did not stay there. 

“We will walk along the road till we come 
to a nice field,’' said Jill, who was taking the 
head. 

“ And now we’ve really begun to truant I ” 
said Bumps importantly ; “ but please don’t go 
so fatht ! ” 

“ Hurrah ! ” shouted Jack, throwing his cap 
into the air and catching it; “ we’re going to 
do no horrid lessons to-day ! ” 

They tramped along, Bumps getting hot and 


40 


Jill’s Red Bag 


breathless with her eager resolve to keep pace 
with the others. 

“ My legs is so short! ’’ she panted ruefully; 
“ pleath let me hold your hand, Jill.’' 

Jill seized hold of her impatiently. 

“ You must be quick, Bumps, or else they’ll 
find out we’ve gone, and run after us. Now, 
Jack, let us go across this field, it leads down to 
the river, and no one will find us there because 
the trees are so thick.” 

The grass was wet, but that was a trifle. 
Buttercups were already springing up in the 
meadow; larks were rising in the air singing 
their morning hymn of praise, and the children 
broke into a run. Not a shadow fell on their 
spirits, they felt exhilarated by the fresh 
morning breeze. 

They reached the river and then began to 
think of breakfast. Jack with great pride pro- 
duced his store. It was rather a fragmentary 
one. Two or three figs, some bits of cake and 
one orange were divided into three equal por- 
tions. The novelty of such a breakfast com- 
pensated for the quantity and quality. But 
when Bumps announced she was thirsty they 
looked rather dismayed. 


** Let’s Be Truants L’ 


41 


‘‘ You must drink from the river/’ said Jill. 

“ But I might thwallow some fishes,” ob- 
jected Bumps, “ and I’ve no cup.” 

Then you must wait till we go home. You 
can’t be thirsty early in the morning.” 

Bumps heaved a sigh, and looked at the river 
meditatively. 

It would be nithe to take off shoes and 
stockings, and go through it like the children 
Miss Falkner told us of.” 

'' Oh yes, we will,” cried Jack. We’ll play 
at going to the Golden City.” 

Jill looked grave. 

“ I meant to start really to-day,” she said, 
‘‘ but it’s no good now, because we’re doing a 
wicked thing to play truant, and you have to 
be good when you’re walking to the Golden 
City. I mean to be double good to-morrow to 
make up.” 

Jack was already pulling off his shoes and 
stockings; his sisters quickly followed his ex- 
ample, and for half-an-hour or so they had a 
delightful time in paddling about. It is true 
that Bumps fell with a splash once, grazing her 
hands and knees against the stones and soaking 
her dress and pinafore, but Bumps’ tumbles 


42 


Jill’s Red Bag 


were so frequent that they passed unnoticed. 
When they were tired of this pastime they 
crossed two or three more fields and then 
climbed up into some steep woods. They were 
very hot and tired when they reached the top, 
and sat down to rest. 

We’ve done nothing exciting yet,” com- 
plained Jill. ‘‘ I thought truants always met 
with lovely adventures.” 

‘‘ Let’s have our dinner,” suggested Jack, 
‘‘I’m sure it’s time.” So again Jack’s hoard 
was brought out, and more bits of cake and bis- 
cuits and miscellaneous scraps were divided 
round. 

“ I wonder what Miss Falkner is doing,” said 
Jack, “ do you think she’s hunting for us ? ” 

“ Oh, don’t think of her. Come on, we must 
make some adventures. This is very dull.” 

“ We’ll all climb a tree,” said Jack, “ and 
pretend we’re Charles II. hiding in an oak.” 

Bumps looked a little anxious, but Jill eagerly 
assented. A suitable tree was found, and up 
went nimble Jack, followed by Jill, who was 
quite as good a climber as he was. 

Bumps tried her best, but failed entirely, so 
she sat down on the grass and cried. 


‘‘ Let’s Be Truants ! ” 


43 


Jill took pity on her, and came down to as- 
sist her. With the greatest difficulty she was 
hoisted up, but when she was comfortably set- 
tled on a big branch her little face shone with 
pride and contentment. 

It’s my legs again,” she said, looking 
down upon them with pity, “ they is so short 
and — and inconven’ent ! ” 

Hush! ” cried Jack; “ here’s a wild beast 
coming, look out I Oh, look, look, it’s a deer ! ” 
It was indeed a stag, that had wandered out 
of a private park near. The children had 
never seen one so close before. 

Their movements startled the timid animal, 
he threw his head up, scented and then saw 
them, and in a moment he had dashed away 
through the bushes. In another moment Jack 
and Jill were down on the ground racing after 
him. 

Bumps again was left behind, and she lifted 
up her voice and wept a second time. 

I can’t get down ! Oh, Jill, come back ! 
Take me down ! I’m frightened ! ” 

But no Jill came back, and poor Bumps 
sobbed away, clinging hold of the branch 
with her hot little hands and regarding the 


44 


Jill’s Red Bag 


distance down to the ground with terrified 
eyes. 

It seemed hours to her before any one passed 
her way, and then suddenly a young man with 
a gun across his shoulderiand a couple of dogs 
came into sight. 

Man ! man ! ” cried Bumps frantically. 

Tm left behind. Come and take me down, 
oh, please take me down.” 

He started and looked up at her in astonish- 
ment, then a smile crossed his lips. 

‘‘A baby in a tree! How on earth did a 
small mite like you perch yourself up there ? ” 

“Fve been lefted !” sobbed Bumps. They’ve 
run away and I’m lotht I ” 

The young man laughed, then sprang up the 
tree, and in another minute Bumps stood on 
firm ground once again. 

''Thank you,” she said prettily, her face 
wreathed in smiles. " Now pleath help me find 
Jack and Jill.” 

" Oh heavens! ” ejaculated the young man; 
" that I refuse to do. I’m in a hurry., If you 
come along with me I will put you in the road 
again, and then you will soon find your way 
home.” 


Let’s Be Truants!” 


45 


Bumps trotted after him quite reassured, talk- 
ing fast all the time. 

‘‘ We’re having a truant-day, and I’ve got to 
stay out till tea-time — ^Jill thaid so. It is such 
a long day, and I’d like to go back to Miss Falk- 
ner — she’s our governess. She takes me in 
her lap, and I like her. Does your gun go off ? 
Are you killing any one? Jack likes guns. I 
don’t! Jill and him have runned after a deer 
with horns. I’m thorry I couldn’t run after it 
too. But I think I’ll go home by myself, I’m 
tired of being a truant.” 

She talked on to her new acquaintance till 
they reached the road, then he came to a stand- 
still. 

Now where do you live ? Can you find your 
way home ? ” 

Bumps looked about her, then put one finger 
in her mouth and considered. 

I don’t know this road. I’m afraid,” she 
said slowly. 

“ Where do you live, child ? ” the young man 
hsked impatiently. 

I live at home,” said Bumps with dignity. 

‘-What is your name?.. Your mother’s or 
f ather’siname ? ” 


46 


Jill’s Red Bag 


^‘Oh, they went to heaven years ago, we 
never talks about them. My name is Winnie, 
but I'm called Bumps." 

‘‘ And your other name ? " 

‘‘ Winnie Baron." 

The young man whistled slowly. 

‘‘ I see light at last. I know your sister. Miss 
Baron. You have just come down from Lon- 
don. I'll see you home." 

He seemed as anxious now to accompany 
Bumps back as he had been before to get rid 
of her. 

She was perfectly content to follow him. 

“ You're a keeper, I expect," she said pres- 
ently. “ We've got two, and I'm dreadfully 
frightened of Andrew, he is tho croth, he won't 
let us go into his wood at all. But Bar- 
ker is very nithe. He has a little boy who 
tumbled on the fender and had to have his 
forehead thewn up with needle and cotton! 
Fanthy that! And he has the cotton in him 
now ! " 

Half-an-hour afterwards Bumps and her 
friend were at the hall door, and Mona came 
hastily forward to meet him, 

‘‘ Oh, Bumps, how naughty I We have been 


‘‘Let’s be Truants!” 


47 


looking for you everywhere! Where are the 
others ? ” 

Then as the young man raised his hat and 
stepped forward, Mona held out her hand. 

Sir Henry Talbot, is it not? I met you, I 
think, at Mrs. Archer’s the other day. How 
very kind of you to take pity on my small sister. 
Do come in. We are just going to have lunch.” 

I thought he was a keeper,” said Bumps, 
staring at her sister gravely. “ Do you know 
him, Mona ? ” 

‘‘ Run along up-stairs to Miss Falkner. She 
has been out all the morning looking for you. I 
hope she will punish you all. You deserve it.” 

Mona turned sharply away into the drawing- 
room, and Sir Henry followed her willingly. 

Bumps toiled up-stairs, feeling sore-footed 
and heavy-hearted. What would Jack and Jill 
say if their day was spoilt because of her ? And 
what would Miss Falkner say? Great tears 
filled her blue eyes, but she opened the school- 
room door and walked in bravely. 

Miss Falkner met her with a smile of relief. 

Oh, Bumps, where have you been ? ” 

Bumps ran to her and buried her head in her 
lap. 


48 


Jill’s Red Bag 


“ I’m thorry,” she sobbed. ‘‘ We were 
truants, but I’ve come back, and the others are 
lotht! ” 

“ Where did you leave them ? It was very 
naughty to go away as you did. Now tell me 
all about it.” 

Bumps tried to check her tears. 

‘‘ I’ll never do it again,” she said. “ They 
left me up a tree, and I oughtn’t to have come 
back at all. Jill thaid we motht thtay out till 
tea-time. She’ll be angry, and Jack too.” 

'‘Where are Jack and Jill ? ” 

" I don’t know. They ran away after a deer 
and never came back; and I waited till a man 
came by, and he broughted me home.” 

No more could be got out of Bumps, who 
began crying again. Miss Falkner saw she 
was tired and hungry, so she wisely said no 
more, but gave her some dinner, and then made 
her lie down on her bed, where she soon fell fast 
asleep. 

Meanwhile Jack and Jill were hunting high 
and low for Bumps. They pursued the deer 
with such zeal that they missed their path in 
the wood, and could not find their tree again. 

" Oh, let us leave off looking,” said Jack, 


Let’s Be Truants ! ” 


49 


impatiently, we shall lose all our day, Bumps 
is sure to find her way home” 

‘‘We can’t leave her,” said Jill. “She’s 
always a bother when we bring her out. I wish 
we had left her behind.” 

But they continued their search. And at last 
they found the object of it, but no Bumps. Jack 
climbed up the tree and they shouted till they 
made the wood ring again, but no answer 
came. 

“ She’s gone home,” said Jack decisively. 
“ We’ll just enjoy ourselves without her.” 

“ I think being truants is very dull,” admitted 
Jill. 

“ I’m not enjoying myself a bit as I thought 
I should. We have no adventures, and nothing 
has happened.” 

“ We’ve lost Bumps.” 

“ Yes, so we have. But that isn’t fun to us. 
It’s only fun to the one lost. She may be having 
heaps and heaps of adventures ! ” 

“ What shall we do now ? ” 

“ Oh, there’s nothing to do but just walk on 
and see what comes.” 

Nothing did come. They walked right 
through the wood, which was a small one, and 


5° 


Jill’s Red Bag 


then got over a hedge into a field. Here they 
met a small boy carrying a milk-can. 

Jill stopped him. Fm dreadfully thirsty/^ 
she said. '' Could you give me a drink ? ” 

“ Go to your mammy ! the small boy said 
rudely. 

Jill was hot tempered. The scornful tone 
enraged her. She flew at the boy like a small 
whirlwind and knocked him down. Over went 
the can of milk, and the boy stood up at once to 
fight. Jack pushed Jill aside. 

“ ril settle him! Fll teach him manners!” 
he cried. 

Jill climbed a gate-post to watch results. It 
was not Jack’s first fight, and she felt confident 
that he would come off victorious. She cheered 
him on lustily, and longed to be in the fray her- 
self. But the small boy proved to be a better 
pugilist than Jack, and Jill was filled with dis- 
may when she saw Jack thrown violently to the 
ground, his opponent sitting on his chest 
triumphantly. 

“Will ’ee have some more? ” 

“ Get up,” said Jack sullenly. 

“Not till ’ee pays me thruppence for that 
there milk.” 


‘‘Let’s Be Truants!” 


SI 


Jill dived into her pocket and threw three 
coppers at the boy. 

'' I shall tell Mona, and she’ll have you pun- 
ished for fighting us, you wicked boy I ” 

The victor laughed, slung his can over his 
shoulder, and ran off. Jack raised himself from 
the ground with difficulty. 

He’s given my head such a bump on the 
ground,” he said, that I feel quite queer.” 

“ Your nose is bleeding, and oh! you’ll have 
such a black eye 1 And your shirt is torn, and 
your qollar bursted away ! ” 

'‘Shut up,” growled Jack; ‘‘he was like a 
bullet to hit. I believe he must have a wooden 
boy. Let’s find a stream of water, and then 
I can wash my face ! ” 

They went into another field and found a 
stream. When Jack had put himself tidy he 
said slowly — 

" Do you know I think we’d better go home. 
It isn’t going to be much fun to-day, I can see. 
We ought to have had heaps of adventures, and 
we haven’t had one.” 

" All right ! It rnust be nearly - tea-time. I 

do hope Bumps is all fight !'”“ 

Th^y trudged home. Jill would not acknowl- 


52 


Jill’s Red Bag 


edge that the day had been a failure, but then 
she had not been vanquished in a fight. Jack 
had, and his spirit as well as his body was sore 
in consequence. 

It was four o'clock when they reached home. 
They stole softly up-stairs, but were met by 
Miss Falkner on the top landing. 

She looked at them in silence, then she said — 

“ I hope you have both enjoyed your day.” 

Jack shuffled into his room and shut his 
door without a word, 

“Is Bumps home?” Jill asked in a shame- 
faced way, 

“ Yes, quite tired out, poor mite. If you put 
yourself tidy, Jill, I will have tea earlier. You 
look as if you want it.” 

Not a word of blame or reproach! 

Jill went into her bedroom with a little lump 
in her throat. 

“ I haven't really enjoyed myself,” she said, 
as sjie gazed at her untidy little self in the glass. 
“ I think it would have been much better if 
I had started for the Golden City this morning, 
instead of playing truant.” 


“a very solemn vow!’’ 

I T was Miss Falkner’s custom to read the 
Bible every morning before she began 
lessons with the children. 

She did not choose long chapters, but with 
a few words at the end tried to make them inter- 
esting to her little pupils. 

One morning the subject was Jacob’s flight 
from home. Jill was keenly interested in it. 

“ What did J acob mean by giving a tenth to 
God ? ” she asked after reading in her turn the 
last verse of the chapter. 

Miss Falkner explained it. 

“ You see,” she said, after telling them of 
the Jewish custom, “ all the money that we have 
really comes from God. And those of us who 
are trying to be His servants feel we are given 
it to use for Him. But even so it is nice to put 
apart a tenth to use especially for His work 
down here. A tenth means a penny out of 
every ten, or a shilling out of every ten, or a 


53 


54 


Jill’s Red Bag 


pound out of every ten, just as we have it given 
to us/’ 

Jill’s mouth and eyes were open wide. 

“ And if you have only nine pennies ? ” she 
asked. 

Miss Falkner smiled. 

‘‘ Wait till you haye ten,” she said. 

‘‘And what must you do with the tenth?” 
asked Jack; “put it into the plate at the 
church?” b : 

x‘'Not always. I think it is nice to keep a 
little bag or box. A great many people keep 
a missionary-box and put their tenth in that. 
Sometimes you can buy something for very poor 
people. There are such lots of ways of spend- 
ing money for God. Now we must begin 
lessons.” 

The Bibles were shut up, but the seed was 
sown. That afternoon, when lessons were over, 
the children ran out into the garden to play. 

Jill’s face was full of earnest .resolve. 

“ Let’s come into the plantation,” she said, 
“ I’ve a lovely plan in my head; only first we 
must look about for some big stones.” 

The plantation was a fir-tree one, and edged 
one side of the garden. Fortune seemed in 


‘‘A Very Solemn Vow!” 


55 


JilFs favour, for near the plantation was an old 
stone wall which had been partially removed. 

Now,’' said the little leader, “ we must 
carry some of these right into the middle of 
the plantation. Into a dark corner where no 
one will see us.” 

“ What for? ” asked Jack. 

He never obeyed unquestioningly. 

“ril tell you in a minute. I think perhaps 
we ought to have three heaps of stones, only 
it will take so long. No, one will do, and we 
must all three share it.” 

They set to work, found a corner under a tall 
old pine, and soon had a very respectable heap 
of stones collected together. 

Then Jill volunteered her explanation. 

‘‘ 0f course, Jack, if you don’t want to, you 
needn’t, and Bumps needn’t either, but I’m 
going to do it. This is going to be a kind of 
Jacob’s pillarr I’ve been thinking of it a lot, 
and I’m going to do what Jacob did.” 

Run awaw from home? ” asked Jack, his 
eyes lighting up with eagerness. 

-'No,.: of course not. I’m going to give a 
tenth of my money to God, and I must have a 
proper place to do it in.” 


S6 


Jill’s Red Bag 


Oh/’ said Jack, his face falling a little; 
and you want me to do it too.” 

“ You ought to,” Jill said severely. 

‘‘ I will if Jack does,” said Bumps in 'her 
breathless way, “ I haVe five pennies ! ” 

“You see me do it first,” said Jill; “and 
then you can make up your mind. It’s a very 
solemn vow. So I must have the stones properly 
put.” 

“ Yes,” said Jack suddenly, “ and there was 
the oil, you know. Jacob had some oil, it’s no 
good without it.” 

“Bumps must go and ask cook for some; 
she^ll always give her anything.” 

Away ran Bumps. Jack began to take a 
keener interest in it. 

“ Are you going to get very good, Jill ? ” he 
asked, looking at his sister critically. 

“No,” said Jill, “ I’m quite sure, however 
much I want to be good, I shall always be very 
wicked. But, Jack, I’ve quite made up my 
mind to walk to the Golden City; I began 
the day before yesterday.” 

“ Have you been through the river ? ” asked 
Jack in an awed whisper. 

“ I’m not going to talk about it,” said Jill. 


“A Very Solemn Vow!"" 


57 


‘‘Miss Falkner helped me when I was in bed 
to start right. Tm not quite sure about the 
road, but I think I’m on it. And anyhow I’m 
quite determined to give a tenth. Now here 
comes Bumps. Hooray ! She’s got the oil I ” 
Jill capered with delight, then checked herself. 
“ I’m going to be properly solemn,” she said, 
“ for it isu’t a game at all, it’s a — a— vow ! ” 

She arranged the stones a little more care- 
fully. 

“This will have to stay just as it is for years 
and years and years, in fact for ever,” Jill 
announced. “ When I’m an old woman with a 
stick and a cap I shall be led out here by all 
ray great-grandchildren, and I shall look back 
and remember this day.” 

“ That sounds lovely,” said Jack admiringly. 
“ Do begin, here’s the oil ! ” 

Jill took the bottle, but first she marshalled 
Jack and Bumps to a respectful distance from 
her altar. 

“ You can look on, because it will be your 
tvirns next, and there must be no laughing, 
because I’m in awful earnest. I’ve brought my 
Bible out to say the words properly. I shall 
some of the oil, and leave you the rest.” 


Jill’s Red Bag 


58 


Very gravely and deliberately Jill poured the 
oil on the top stone, then holding her Bible in 
both hands for an instant, she looked up into 
the blue sky above her, and then in a clear, dis- 
tinct voice she read — 

‘‘And this stone which I have set for a pillar 
shall be God’s house; and of all that Thou 
shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto 
Thee.” 

There was a dead silence for a minute, then 
she turned to her witnesses. 

“ Say ‘Amen,’ ” she commanded. 

The “ Amen ” was fervently and loudly 
uttered. 

Jill walked away and sat down under a tree. 

“Don’t speak to me,” she said; “after a 
vow you must be quite quiet for five minutes. 
Now, Jack, it’s your turn; you know what 
to do.” 

Jack looked a little frightened. 

“ It’s like service in church,” he confided to 
Bumps; “ are you going to do it. Bumps? ” 

“ Oh, yeth. I’ll do it,” assented Bumps cheer- 
fully, “ if you does.” 

“ I suppose I’d better.” 

Jack walked up to the stones and took ug 


‘‘A Very Solemn Vow!’* 


59 


the bottle. He poured some oil out, then fol- 
lowed Jill’s example and read the verse out as 
bravely and loudly as he could. 

Jill and Bumps uttered an emphatic Amen,” 
and Jack came back to his tree and sat down, 
heaving a great sigh of relief as he did so. 

Go on. Bumps,” he muttered. 

Bumps trotted up to the stones, then looked 
helplessly round. 

I don’t know what next,” she said. 

“ Pour out some oil.” 

It’s a fat cork — oh ! ah ! it’s thpilt itthelf 
down my pinny ! ” 

Jill dashed up to her. 

You always spoil everything, you little 
stupid! Here! give the bottle to me, why, 
there’s hardly any left ! Now take it and pour it 
out properly, and don’t keep talking so; be 
solemn ! ” 

Bumps looked agitated. 

The Bible, Jill ! Find the place quick ! Oh, 
I shall never be ready ! And Bible words is so 
hard to read. I’m ’fraid I shall never do it 
prop’ly. And you said the verth like thaying 
your prayers. Hadn’t I better kneel down to 
make it more proper to God?” 


6o 


JilFs Red Bag 


Bumps was earnestly trying to do her best. 

Jill found the verse, and left her. 

You can kneel down if you like. It is a 
Bible prayer, of course, but you must do it by 
yourself. It's a vow to God, that’s what it is.” 

Bumps knelt down, holding the Bible de- 
voutly in her little fat hands. She read the 
verse haltingly, but her whole soul was in it, 
and she rose from her feet triumphant. 

I’ve never,” she confided to Jack, ‘‘ thpoken 
to God out of doors before. He is sure to have 
heard me, isn’t He? Did I do it quite proper, 
do you think ? ” 

Jack assured her she had managed it quite 
satisfactorily. 

Then the three children stood and looked at 
each other. 

“ The next thing,” announced Jill, ‘‘ is to di- 
vide our money into tens. We have done the 
vow, but that’s only the beginning. And we 
mustn’t tell anybody about this place, and the 
stones mustn’t be touched, and we must call it 
what Jacob did — Bethel ! ” 

Let’s put it up somewhere,” said Jack. 

‘‘Yes,” said Jill eagerly; “we will get a 
board like a trespassers’ board, and chalk it 


“A Very Solemn Vow!'’ 


6i 


with that lovely piece of white chalk you have 
in your paint-box.” 

But where shall we get a board ? ” 

‘‘ Sam will make us one.” 

Sam was the house-carpenter who was al- 
ways at work on the premises. The children 
loved him, for he made them many a little trifle, 
and he was always ready for a chat. 

They marched off at once to find him, and 
came across him taking some planks out of his 
wood-shed. 

Their want was soon made known. Jill was 
always emphatic and clear in her utterances. 

A proper trespassers’ board, Sam, like you 
put up in the pheasant-covers last week, and I 
should like you to paint, ‘ Trespassers will be 
prosecuted,’ to keep people away, only you must 
leave room for the name on' the top.” 

‘^Let him paint the name too,” suggested 
Jack, it would look better than chalk.” 

Jill looked doubtfully at Sam. 

Could you paint the word ‘ Bethel,’ Sam? 
ril tell you how to spell it.” 

Sam grinned. 

''I reckon I could, missy. You show me 
where you want it put, and I’ll do the job!” 


62 


Jiirs Red Bag 


“ But you promise on your honour you won’t 
tell, because it’s a great secret, and we don’t 
want any one to know where it is.” 

I’ll be as dumb as a dog,” said Sam. 

Show me the spot, and be sharp, missy, for 
I’m extra busy to-day ! ” 

The children led him into the plantation. 

He smiled when he saw the heap of stones. 

“ So this here is a Bethel, is it ? ” 

“ I don’t believe Jacob put up a trespassers’ 
board,” said Jack with a knowing shake of his 
head; “ it will look very funny, Jill.” 

It’s to be done,” said Jill. “ I won’t have 
people coming, and making fun, and pulling 
our stones about, and if they do come, I shall 
prosecute them ! ” 

Bumps looked at her sister in awe. 

‘‘ Will you thend them to prison ? ” she 
asked. 

“But what is it for?” asked Sam, peering 
on the stones and seeing the marks of the oil; 
“ be you going to make a sacrifice ? ” 

“ No,” said Jill solemnly; “ you never laugh 
at us, Sam, so I’ll tell you; and if you like to 
join us you shall. It’s a vow we’ve made to 
God. You can read about it in your Bible if 


‘A Very Solemn Vow!” 63 


you like. We’re going to be like Jacob, and 
give God a tenth of our money.” 

Sam scratched his head. 

I’ll make the board, missy, but I can’t 
promise to jine you.” 

Well, make it as quick as you can, and if 
you read about Jacob like Miss Falkner and 
us, you’ll want to do it too ! ” 

Sam did not respond, but he promised to 
make the board, and the children, hearing their 
tea-bell ring, ran off to the house. 

They did not tell Miss Falkner of their af- 
ternoon’s performance, though Bumps was 
sadly wanting to do so. After tea their gov- 
erness sat down to write a letter, and told them 
to amuse themselves quietly. 

Jill gathered her forces into a corner of the 
room. 

Now then,” she said; have you got your 
money ? ” 

‘‘ Yes,” replied Jack, shaking out his pockets; 
“ here is all mine, but it’s precious little! Here’s 
a threepenny bit and a sixpence and two pen- 
nies. How am I to get a tenth out of it? It’s 
as bad as sums.” 

Jill took the money spread it out on the floor. 


64 


Jill’s Red Bag 


and then sat down in front of it to consider it, 
with a face as grave as a j'udge’s. 

You have eleven pennies,” she said; take 
one away, and that leaves ten ; take a penny out 
of that, and that’s your tenth.” 

Jack looked completely puzzled. 

And what am I do with the first penny 
that I take away?” he asked. 

‘‘You must keep that to go on for another 
ten pennies,” said Jill with a knitted brow. 
“ I’m sure that will be right, and the nine-pence 
you can spend any day you like.” 

“I’ll spend it to-morrow, I think. I want a 
kite that I saw in the shop in the village, and 
I believe it costs about that. What am I to 
do with my tenth ? ” 

“ Keep it in a box or bag. Miss Falkner told 
you that. Now, Bumps, what have you got? ” 

“ Five pennies,” said Bumps importantly. 

“ You can’t give a tenth then,” said Jill, “ for 
you haven’t got one.” 

Bumps looked ready to cry. 

“ I’m alwayth being left out,” she said; “ do 
pleath make it come right. Can’t I give one 
penny ? ” 

A brilliant idea struck Jack. 


“A Very Solemn Vow!” 


65 


Change it into halfpennies, and she’ll have 
ten ! ” he said. 

Jill and Bumps both brightened up. 

“Yes, Bumps, that will be the thing; you 
must put a halfpenny by, and that will be your 
tenth. I have two halfpennies you can have 
instead of your penny.” 

It needed a good deal of explaining to Bumps 
before she was completely satisfied. When 
that was done Jill produced her own purse. 
She was the richest of the three, for she owned 
three shillings and sixpence, but how to get a 
tenth out of it was a puzzle. 

Miss Falkner, hearing their eager, excited 
voices, came to the rescue, and showed Jill that 
fourpence was the tenth of forty pence, and the 
two over would go towards the next tenth. 
Then she delighted her small pupils by produc- 
ing a pretty scarlet flannel bag which she gave 
them as a “ Tenth” bag. Their united coins 
rattled in, and though it was only fivepence- 
halfpenny, they felt as proud of it as if it had 
been five pounds. 

“ It’s a beginning,” said Jill to her govern- 
ess as she was tucking her up in bed that 
night 


66 


Jill’s Red Bag 


That’s two beginnings I’ve made since you 
came here.” 

Miss Falkner’s eyes glistened as she bent 
over her. 

“ My little Jill, I shall pray that God may 
never let you go back from these beginnings, 
as you call them. Ask Him to help you, dear. 
It is easier sometimes to make a beginning than 
go steadily on.” 

Yes,” said Jill sleepily; ‘ but that’s because 
the Golden City is such a long way off ! ” 


VI 


“ GOD^S CABBAGES ” 

S AM was as good as his word. Before a 
week was out a minute board was 
erected by the children’s heap of 

stones. 

Big white letters confronted any passerby— 
“ BETHEL. 

TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED.” 

And Jill made a point of visiting the spot at 
least once a day, to be sure that it was left 
unmolested. 

Fm coming to tea with you, Sam, soon,” 
she announced one afternoon, as she sat on a 
gate swinging herself to and fro and watching 
the carpenter repairing a fence. 

Sam lived alone with his old father, in a 
rose-covered cottage, at the corner of the vil- 
lag-e. 

Sam was devoted to roses, and his little front 
garden was given up to their cultivation. 

67 


68 


Jill’s Red Bag 


The back one was in his father’s charge, and 
he grew cabbages. 

Father will be pleased to see you, missy, 
and so shall I,” was Sam’s quiet response. 

Then you must invite me properly, and ask 
me to-morrow, for Mona is going to take Miss 
Falkner out for a drive. And then we have 
tea with Annie. I hate my tea poured out by 
a schoolroom-maid ! ” 

Jill’s little nose was tilted scornfully in the 
air. 

"‘Aye,"” said Sam smiling; ‘‘to-morrow will 
suit first-rate, missy. Father and me presents 
our duty, and will be pleased if you will favour 
us with your company to tea to-morrow at five 
o’clock.” 

This was the usual formula, and Jill clapped 
her hands in delight; then she said with becom- 
ing gravity — 

“ I shall be very pleased to come, Sam. Tell 
Mr. Stone I’ll favour him.” 

Then she ran into the house, and told Jack 
and Bumps where she was going. 

They were inclined to be cross at first, but 
Jack soon recovered himself. 

“We’ll do quite well without you. I shall 


“God’s Cabbages 


69 


>) 


play at Sinbad the Sailor, and Bumps is going 
to be my Old Man of the Sea. Annie likes 
to join sometimes, and we’ll have our tea in the 
garden. She likes that, for the gardener has a 
cup of tea with us.” 

Miss Falkner heard of the invitation, but 
raised no objection, so punctually at five o’clock 
the next evening Jill walked into Sam Stone’s 
cottage. 

He and his father were expecting her. The 
tiny kitchen was in perfect order, and looked 
spotlessly clean. 

The table was laid for tea ; and a boiled egg 
for Jill, besides some watercress and currant 
buns, gave it quite a festive air. 

Old Mr. Stone looked delighted to see her. 
He was a tall, active old man, with a long grey 
beard, and had^always plenty to say for him- 
self. 

'' ’Tis a pleasure to see you, missy. Come 
right in, an’ sit comfortable on my poor wife’s 
rocking-cheer. ’Twas the last thing she sat 
in afore she died, an’ I see her in it now a 
gaspin’ an’ chokin’, an’ smilin’ up at me so 
sadly like. ‘ Jim,’ she sez, ‘ ’tis the Lord that 
did give me to yer, an’ ’tis the Lord that do be 


70 


Jill’s Red Bag 


goin’ to take me away from yer. Thank Him/ 
she sez, ‘ for all His mercies ! ' An’ I sez to 
her, ' Jenny, my heart can’t thank if my lips 
can, an’ I’d rather say nothin’ just now to the 
Almighty. Jenny, she were always so properly 
religious ! ” 

'' And are you properly religious too, Mr. 
Stone?” questioned Jill as she took her seat 
at the table, and commenced with great pride 
and solemnity to pour out tea. She was al- 
ways given the post of honour, behind the big 
flowered tin tea-tray, and much enjoyed the re- 
sponsibilities of her position. 

The old man shook his head. 

‘‘ I fear I be a very improper Christian,” he 
said. 

I wonder,” said Jill reflectively, “ whether 
your wife gave a tenth to God. Miss Falkner 
thinks all proper good people do.” 

What be that, missy ? ” 

“ It’s what Jacob did, you know, and we’re 
going to try to do it. Don’t you remember 
his vow? ' Of all that Thou shalt give me, I 
will surely give the tenth unto Thee.’ ” 

Old Mr. Stone nodded his head. 

‘‘ My fayther did allays give a little to our 


“ God’s Cabbages 


71 


>> 


rector; that be it missy, that be it. ’Tis the be- 
ginning of it you have told of ! 

Do tell me,’’ said Jill eagerly. ‘‘ Do you 
think we could give our tenth to our rector ? ” 
Sam and his father both tried then to give 
Jill a dissertation on tithes. She hardly grasped 
it, but child-like returned pertinaciously to her 
business in hand. 

I want Sam to join us. I’m sure he has 
a lot of money. I hear it jingle in his pocket. 
And won’t you too, Mr. Stone? If you will, 
you can come to our ‘ Bethel ’ and do it quite 
properly.” 

“ I tell missy we be hard-workin’ people, that 
be scarcely able to feed ourselves,” said Sam. 

'' But a tenth isn’t much,” argued Jill. Out 
of forty pennies you only have to give four. 
How much do you get from Mona, Sam ? ” 

‘‘ A pound a week,” answered Sam stolidly. 
‘‘ Now, how many tens are in that, I won- 
der,” Jill went on with interest; “ you see, Sam, 
Miss Falkner says God sends us everything, so 
it does seem rather mean never to give any- 
thing back, doesn’t it ? ” 

I reckon,” said Mr. Stone looking at his 
son with a twinkle in his eye, that two shillin’ 


72 


Jill’s Red Bag 


be a tenth o’ Sam’s money, not to speak of his 
other odd jobs that he do get in an’ out.” 

‘‘We should be on the way to the House, 
missy, if I did give away such a bit as that ! ” 

“ Oh, no, you wouldn’t, for God just sends 
it back. Miss Falkner says in other kind of 
ways. Only He is pleased if we think of 
Him.” 

“ If I were a rich man,” said old Mr. Stone, 
“ I’d give the Almighty a tenth. ’Tis a cry in’ 
shame the rich be so grudgin’ wi’ their wealth ; 
but we poor humble folk be not expected to do 
such things ! ” 

“ Haven’t you got anything to give God, Mr. 
Stone? ” 

“ Nothin’ at all,” responded the old man 
with a sigh. “ Sam do take care of his old 
father, an’ I sells my cabbages an’ helps all I 
can; but since Christmas twelvemonth the rheu- 
maty pains in my innerds be so cruel bad, that 
I be creepin’ on to church-yard slow and sure.” 

A little gloom seemed to have fallen on the 
tea-party. Then Jill started another subject. 

“ When are you going to be married, Sam ? ” 

Sam threw up his head and laughed aloud. 
He was a confirmed old bachelor and did not. 


God's Cabbages " 


73 


as he expressed it, “ like the ways of women/’ 

‘‘ Ah, missy. I’ll wait till you set the ex- 
ample.” 

‘‘ Oh, but I don’t mean to marry at all. I 
shall be like Mona. Cook told Annie the other 
day that Mona was going to marry Captain 
Willoughby and I told Mona, and she was very 
angry and then she laughed and said that cook 
had already married her to over a dozen people. 
I don’t quite know what she meant — ^but I think 
you ought to marry, Sam, and cook thinks so 
too. She says a house isn’t a home without a 
woman ! ” 

Sam laughed again. 

A woman, missy, is an ork’ard customer 
to deal with. There is smiles, ’tis true, but then 
there’s tears, an’ I can’t abide ’em ! An’ there’s 
a great chatteration, and there’s a spendin’, not 
so much in pots an’ pans an’ good wholesome 
food, but in ribbons an’ silks an’ finery. An’ 
many a maid turns her man to drink, from her 
contrary tempers. Best be wi’out them, I say, 
an’ so do faylher.” 

They talked away till tea was over, and then 
Jill accompanied old Mr. Stone into the back 
garden. 


74 


Jill’s Red Bag 


He pointed out to her row after row of his 
fine cabbages, 

'' One hundred and fifty-two, missy, an’ all 
sowed from seed, an’ I’ve tended ’em like 
chillen.” 

Jill walked up and down amongst the cab- 
bages with a thoughtful air. Suddenly she 
stood still, seized with an inspiration. 

Mr. Stone, you’ve got cabbages ! The text 
says, ‘Of all that Thou shalt give me, I will 
surely give the tenth unto Thee.’ You must 
give a tenth of your cabbages to God. Oh, do, 
won’t you? And then you can join us. How 
many tens have you got? Let us go through, 
and mark every tenth cabbage off for God. 
That’s the way to do it. How shall we mark 
them ? Will Sam let us have some of that red 
worsted he ties up his roses with ? I’ll ask him. 
Just wait a minute. I know how to do it ! ” 

Jill flew into the house breathless and ex- 
cited without waiting for the old man’s reply. 
She returned triumphant with her ball of red 
wool. “ Sam thinks it will be very nice. I told 
him. And you know, Mr. Stone, God did give 
the cabbages to you. He made them grow, you 
didn’t!” 


“ God’s Cabbages ” 


75 


The old man looked at her queerly. Then 
he fetched his pipe out of his pocket and began 
to smoke. 

“ Them cabbages fetch three-halfpence each 
in the market, and cheap at the price,” he said. 

Jill marched along the first row until she ar- 
rived at the tenth cabbage, then she broke off a 
piece of her red wool and tied it through one 
of the leaves. 

“ There, Mr. Stone, that’s God’s cabbage. 
Now, I’ll go on to the next, and then you’ll 
know how many you will have to give.” 

What am I to do wi’ ’em, missy. Take 
’em to church ? ” 

Jill sat down on an old wheelbarrow to con- 
sider. Why,” she said presently with a beam- 
ing smile, ‘‘ when you take up a cabbage with 
a piece of red wool on it, you must sell it for 
God, and put the money in a little bag, and 
then give it to the poor.” 

P’raps,” said the old man with a chuckle, 
“ it will find its way back into my pocket, for 
I’m a very poor old body, very poor indeed ! ” 
You’re making a joke of it,” said Jill, flush- 
ing a deep red. I mean a real starving per- 

son, when I talk of the poor. Would you 


76 


Jill’s Red Bag 


rather give it to the collection in church, Mr. 
Stone? ” 

Aye p’raps that would be the best way to 
work it.” 

So taking that as a promise Jill set to work 
with a will, and before she left that evening she 
had marked off fifteen cabbages, the tenth of 
the old man’s property. 

And now if you really like to give them, 
will you come to-morrow to ‘ Bethel ’ and do 
your vow ? ” 

Mr. Stone wavered, but finally Jill won him 
over, and he promised to be outside the fir plan- 
tation the very next day. 

Jack and Bumps were full of interest when 
Jill told them of her evening’s work. It did 
much towards solacing Bumps, who had a 
bruised head and a badly grazed knee, but 
wounds were generally her lot after an hour 
or two alone with Jack. 

‘‘1 wath the old man of the thea,” she ex- 
plained to Jill, and I couldn’t thtick on. Jack 
jumped and rolled and kicked me up in the air 
to get me off, and I had to try to be on all the 
time. It wath very differcult ! ” 

She was rather doubtful about the cabbages. 


“God’s Cabbages 


77 




“ I thought it wath to be money. God really 
does make money and give it to us, but does 
He make cabbages ? I thought they growed of 
theirselves.’' 

How do you think God makes money?” 
Jack asked. 

Bumps thought hard for a minute. 

‘‘ I ’spect He just drops pennies and shil- 
lings into the ground when no one is looking, 
and then lets us find them. I know they does 
come from under the earth, becauth Miss Falk- 
ner told me.” 

Jill tried to explain that cabbages brought in 
money, and it was the money for them that 
would be the tenth and after a time Bumps 
was satisfied. 

They were all present the next day when 
old Mr. Stone was initiated into the mysteries 
of Bethel. But he shook his head sternly at 
the heap of stones. 

No no, that there altar is idobtry, that is 
what it be. The chapel folk would turn me 
out if I went for to forget myself in such a 
heathen-like way ! Pour oil on it ? Indeed no, 
missy. That be like the cannibal heathen who 


78 


Jill’s Red Bag 


offer up sacrifices and living bodies, an’ such 
like.” 

But Jacob did,” argued Jill. We’ve kept 
most particular to the Bible.” 

“Ah, well, Jacob had to answer to the Al- 
mighty for it, an’ I won’t be his judge. But 
I’m a chapel man myself, though I favours the 
ahurch on occasions. I’ll say the words, missy, 
an’ then you must let me go. My poor wife 
used to give to charity an’ such like. I remem- 
ber her handin’ a penny out of the windy to a 
tramp one day. I could do with a deal more 
religion, I owns, for though I thinks little, I 
knows I ought to thank my Maker more for 
His mercy an’ goodness. An’ He is kindly 
welcome to my cabbages — them that be marked 
with red wool. So now, missy, where be the 
book?” 

The Bible was put into his hand, and the 
verse pointed out, but he would only repeat the 
last part of it. 

The children chorused “ Amen,” and then 
he was led away, but his words left an uncom- 
fortable feeling behind. 

Is it like the heathens to have a heap of 
stones, I wonder ? ” said Jill, sitting down on 


“ God’s Cabbages 


79 


yy 


the grass and looking at the pile very affection- 
ately. 

‘‘ If s all rubbish ! ” said Jack. Jacob 
wouldn’t have done a wicked thing, when he 
was making a vow to God.” 

‘'Arth Miss Falkner,” was Bumps’ sugges- 
tion. But Jill would not agree to this. 

''It’s a secret,” she said; "we mustn’t tell 
everybody. I think I’m rather sorry I brought 
Mr. Stone here. Sam didn’t think it wicked.” 

" Isn’t Sam going to join? ” 

" He won’t just yet. He says he wants to 
think it over.” 

Then she jumped up. " Come along, let us 
have a game of hide-and-seek.” 

Away they scampered, making the garden 
ring with their shouts, and " Bethel ” was for- 
gotten for the time. 


VII 


THE TRESPASSER 

FEW days afterwards Miss Falkner 



took Jack and Jill out for a drive in a 
low pony-chaise that was their special 


property. 

Mona came out on the doorstep to see them 
start. 

Fm so glad you can drive, Miss Falkner,'' 
she said, “ for I shall have no fears about the 
children with you as driver. The grooms can't 
be trusted. They give the reins to them, and 
Jack upset the whole concern just before you 
came." 

I used to drive as a tiny child," said Miss 
Falkner with heightened colour. “ I have not 
done so lately, but one never loses the art." , 

Mona looked at her curiously. She began 
to feel a great interest in this young girl, who 
had 90 quietly taken the reins in the school- 
room and was slowly but surely influencing the 
young turbulent spirits in it. 

The children were giving their pony sugar. 


8o 


The Trespasser 


8i 


Mona looked at them, then she laid her hand 
gently on Miss Falkner’s arm. 

Some day you will tell me about yourself 
and your home,’^ she said. 

The quick tears sprang to the young gov- 
erness’s eyes. She felt as she stood there that 
the girl who spoke to her had all that the world 
could give her. She had as yet been untouched 
by the storms of life, and on her proud young 
face there were lines of discontent and restless- 
ness that would never be effaced till she had 
learnt some of life’s lessons, and perhaps been 
through the school of suffering. 

They were very nearly the same age, were 
two blocks of stone, ordained for a building 
above; yet though one was cut and chiselled al- 
ready, the other bore no impress of the Mas- 
ter’s hand. 

But the sympathetic touch and words struck 
a chord in Miss Falkner’s heart. She forgot 
from that time that Mona Baron was her em- 
ployer, she thought of her only as a girl who 
might need help. 

‘‘Now where shall w'e go, children?” she 
asked, as they drove down the sweet-smelling 
lime avenue into the high road. 


82 


Jill’s Red Bag 


“ Oh, do drive up to Chilton Common/' cried 
Jack; “ there are such a lot of rabbits there, 
and we can see the sea from it." 

So to Chilton Common they went. It was 
about four miles off, and at first sight looked 
a dreary expanse of wild moorland. As they 
crossed it, they caught the salt scent of the 
sea, and soon came to a cluster of poor-looking 
cottages, but beyond them in the distance was 
the unmistakable blue line of the ocean, and the 
children seemed delighted. 

“ I wish we lived by the sea," said Jill. “ I 
like to be on the very outside edge of the 
earth." 

“ Why? " inquired Jack. 

Jill seldom gave reasons for her likes and 
dislikes. 

“ Because I do," she returned sharply. , 

“ Oh, look. Miss Falkner, there's our rec- 
tor, Mr. Errington. He has a lot of people 
round him. P'raps he's preaching ! " 

Mr. Errington caught sight of them and 
smiled at the children, who were great favour- 
ites of his. Then he came forward. 

“ My horse has gone very lame," he ex- 
plained. 


The Trespasser 


83 


I am thinking of leaving him here at the 
blacksmith's and walking home." 

“ Can we give you a lift? " asked Miss Falk- 
ner. 

“ That will be very good of you. I shall be 
grateful for my wife will be expecting me and 
will be anxious." 

Jill thought you were preaching," said 
Jack. “ Wasn’t she silly? As if you’d preach 
on a weekday ! " 

I wish I had been," said Mr. Errington 
with a smile. 

Then he turned to Miss Falkner. 

These are my parishioners," he said, and 
not one of them comes to church. They’re just 
like heathen. It looks a God-forsaken place, 
does it not? ’’ 

‘Tt seems a strange place to see cottages," 
said Miss Falkner. flow do they earn their 
living? ’’ 

By peat-cutting, and working in a quarry 
a mile off. The blacksmith is unable to walk 
far, or I really think I should see him at church 
sometimes. The rest are totally indifferent to 
their soul’s welfare. I am longing to build a 
little mission-room and come over and have a 


84 


Jill’s Red Bag 


service for them, but it would cost money, and 
I have none to spare at present.’' 

“ It is a pity,” said Miss Falkner gently. 
‘‘ One wonders sometimes if money drifted in- 
to the right channels whether this dense ig- 
norance would be overcome. At my old home 
there was a district very like this. My father’s 
curate was indefatigable in trying to raise 
money, and he eventually succeeded. It was a 
great success, for the people came to the mis- 
sion church and sent their children to school. 
But he — ” her voice faltered a little, over- 
worked himself, took cold and died, and my 
father followed him. The present rector does 
not care for the mission-room. He thinks they 
ought to come to church, and they don’t do it.” 

Mr. Errington nodded with perfect compre- 
hension. 

“ Of course not. It would want a good deal 
of zeal to walk eight miles after a week’s hard 
work. Our English labourer will not do it.” 

They talked on, and much of the conversa- 
tion was above the children’s heads, but Jill 
was a sharp child, and she was already evolv- 
ing a plan in her head, which had the effect of 
taking her to the Rectory the next day. 


The Trespasser 


85 


Mrs. Errington was a great invalid. When 
she was told that “ Miss Jill Baron ” wanted 
to see her, she said to her husband, who was 
overlooking some accounts with her : 

My dear Robert, we ought not to be dis- 
turbed. Shall we say we are engaged ? 

No,” said Mr. Errington, leaning back in 
his chair wth a laugh; “ I am dazed with fig- 
ures. Let us be refreshed by one of the fresh 
things in this world. There is nothing like a 
child for relieving one of care.” 

Jill was ushered in, flushed and excited. She 
could hardly wait to shake hands. 

“Jack and Bumps are willing, and so Tve 
come with it,” she said. “ It’s to help to 
build that church on the common. Miss 
Falkner said we might, and Eve brought it in 
our bag.” 

She put a scarlet flannel bag on the table, 
and went on — 

“You see we haven’t begun very long, so 
there’s only a little to start with ; but we shall 
always be putting in, because we often get 
presents, and I’ve spoken to Mr. Stone, and 
we’ve counted that his fifteen cabbages will 
bring him one shilling and tenpence halfpenny. 


86 


Jill's Red Bag 


and he says that had better be given to you 
too” 

It seemed incoherent, but Mrs. Errington 
gently drew the explanation out of the child, 
and though Jill did not divulge the spot of 
their Bethel,’^ her account interested the rec- 
tor and his wife greatly. 

It will be money well spent, Mr. Erring- 
ton said, “ for it will be the means of telling 
those poor folk of the love of the Saviour.^^ 

“ And you will have the honour, Jill dear, 
of starting the collection,'' said Mrs. Erring- 
ton. 

“ It's a pity," said Jill with knitted brows, 
“ that you can't get every one to give you their 
tenth." 

I don't think there are many people who 
do give their tenth," said the rector. 

‘‘ Miss Falkner gives all hers to the Church 
Missionary Society," Jill went on; ‘‘but Jack 
and Bumps and me thought we'd like to see 
where our money went." 

“ Wise little woman ! " 

Then Mr. Errington emptied the bag, and 
delighted Jill by giving her a formal receipt 
for it, and entering the sum in an account book. 


The Trespasser 


87 


She ran away quite happy^ waving her scarlet 
bag in the air, and wishing with all her heart 
that birthdays and Christmas*, and all such oc- 
casions for receiving presents, would come 
every day. 

Mona is going to have a party,’^ an- 
nounced Jack one day soon after this. ‘‘ I 
went into the drawing-room to give Miss Webb 
her pencil that I picked up, and she and Mona 
were talking about it. It is to be next Wednes- 
day.’’ 

The children were just beginning their af- 
ternoon lessons; and Jill was washing her slate 
preparatory to doing a sum. 

'' How jolly ! ” she cried. “ I hope she’ll let 
us come to it. When is it to be ? Is it a dinner 
party ? ” 

''No, a garden party It’s going to be a 
very grand one. There’s a band coming, and 
a tent for fruit and ices, and there will be tennis 
and croquet, and bowls and ” 

" Now, Jack,” said Miss Falkner quietly, 
"that is enough. Lessons now, and talk 
after.” 

It was hard to obey, but Jack put a re- 
straint upon himself, and when lessons were 


88 


Jill’s Red Bag 


over Jill determined to get no more news sec- 
ond-hand. 

'' Come on, Bumps. Fm going to ask Mona 
about it.” 

The little girls found their sister in her bed- 
room, getting ready for a drive. 

We’ve come to ask about the party,” said 
Jill, who always went straight to the point. 

We can come into it, can’t we? ” 

Mona laughed, then she sat down in an easy- 
chair and took Bumps upon her lap. 

‘‘ I hardly ever see you now,” she said; 
“ Miss Falkner keeps you all in such order. 
Why, Bumps, you are growing quite heavy.” 

“ Yeth,” assented Bumps, “ I thmashed 
Polly’s head by stepping on it. She’s my 
thecond betht wax-doll, Mona ! ” 

‘‘You’ll let us come to the party?” asked 
Jill persuasively. 

“ Yes, if you behave nicely. There may be 
two 'other children coming. little Indian 
nieces of Mrs. Moxon’s.” 

“ Heathens ? ” questioned Jill. 

Mona laughed merrily. 

“ Good gracious, no ! What a ridiculous 
child you are.” 


The Trespasser 


89 


Jill coloured up at once. 

I like boys better than girls/’ she said in 
her stubborn tone. I know I shan’t like 
them.” 

‘‘ You must be civil and kind to them, or 
else I shall send you back to the school-room. 
But perhaps that will be no punishment. I 
think you must have altered your mind about 
governesses, Jill.” 

Yes,” said Jill in a different tone. “ But 
Miss Falkner is not like a governess. She’s 
very fond of us, she says so ! ” 

‘‘ Extraordinary ! You don’t say so ! ” 

Mona laughed again, then put Bumps off 
her lap. 

Now run away, small people, and remem- 
ber if you appear in the garden on Wednesday, 
you must be in the cleanest frocks and the 
sweetest tempers. Otherwise you must make 
yourselves scarce.” 

''Like the children walking to the Golden 
City,” said Bumps trotting after Jill. 

Jill looked down at her with troubled eyes. 

" Sometimes I wonder where I am,” she said, 
moved by the impulse of the moment to con- 
fide in her little sister. " I don’t believe I get 


90 


JilFs Red Bag 


on very fast. I'm always losing my temper, 
and that means dirtying my frock." 

And then you have to wash it,” said Bumps 
cheerfully. 

‘‘Yes,” said Jill, with a light in her eyes; 
“ I can do that, at least I can ask to have it 
done, but — ” and here she relapsed into gloom 
again. “ I sometimes wonder if it is ever clean 
for more than a minute ! ” 

Wednesday came, and the three children 
sadly tried Miss Falkner’s patience at lessons. 

She closed books at last, and sent them out 
into the garden to play before their early din- 
ner. They longed to go into Mona's portion 
of the grounds, but the head gardener kept 
them back. Tents were being erected; servants 
bustled about, and Mona herself, with Miss 
Webb and one or two gentlemen, seemed to be 
superintending everything herself. 

At four o'clock Jill and Bumps, arrayed in 
their best white frocks, were down on the front 
lawn awaiting the arrival of guests. Miss 
Falkner in a pretty grey dress and hat stood 
talking to Miss Webb under the trees, and 
Mona, looking radiant in her youth and loveli- 
ness, dressed like her little sisters in pure white. 


The Trespasser 


91 


with a spray of delicate pink roses in her breast, 
was talking and laughing with a few of her 
house guests. Jack presently came up to his 
sister. He was dressed in his white sailor- 
suit, and looked stiff and uncomfortable. 

“ Oh, Jill, I say, do let’s get out of this. 
It’s so dull and proper. You and Bumps look 
like the china figures on the school-room man- 
telpiece.” 

"‘Yes,” said Jill; ''it is very dull. Where 
shall we go ? ” 

" Let us see how Bethel is getting on.” 

So the three made their way to the fir plan- 
tation, but met with several interruptions on 
the way. Jack chased a fowl which had escaped 
from the poultry-yard. Bumps would insist on 
stopping to watch the peregrinations of two 
frogs in some long grass, and Jill had a talk 
with Sam, who was cutting down a young tree. 
As they trod softly on the brown pine-needles 
underfoot Jack startled his sisters by a shrill 
whisper. 

"Look! there’s a trespasser!” 

Jill pressed eagerly forward. A tall broad- 
shouldered man in clerical clothes was standing 
reading the board. Then instead of turning 


92 


Jiirs Red Bag 


away, he went up to the pile of stones, and 
bending down was in the act of lifting one of 
them out of its place to look at it, when Jill's 
indignant voice arrested him. 

“You’re a trespasser! We shall prosecute 
you I ” 

He turned round in astonishment, and his 
stern, rugged features were transformed by a 
smile, when he saw the daintily-dressed chil- 
dren before him. 

“ Is this your property ? ” he asked. 

Jill was like a little bantam-cock. 

“ Every bit of it is ours, of course it is. You 
must have seen the board; we ain’t going to 
allow any trespassers here.” 

“You’ll have to be prothecuted I ” cried 
Bumps breathlessly. 

“ Yes, Jill said she’d prosecute,” said Jack, 
looking first at the stranger and then at his 
sister, as if measuring in his mind’s eye their 
respective sizes. 

“What is to be done with me?” asked the 
stranger with an amused look. 

Jack and Jill put their heads together, and 
consulted in hurried whispers as to the best 
course to take. 


The Trespasser 


93 


Then Jill spoke very emphatically. 

“ We shall have to prosecute you, because 
you didn't care for our board. You saw it and 
you were going to move our stones. Jack and 
I think if you will walk between us and prom- 
ise not to escape, we will go down to the po- 
liceman at our gate. Mona is having a grand 
party and he's here now, for we saw him. He'll 
tell us what to do." 

‘‘ I think," said the trespasser, trying to look 
grave, ‘‘ that you might fine me. Magistrates 
do that to some trespassers." 

Jill did not understand this, but she was too 
proud to confess it. 

‘‘ No, you must come to the policeman,” she 
said. So presently skirting the tennis lawn 
the little procession passed. Jack and Jill 
marched on either side of him, Bumps walked 
behind. 

‘T can catch hold of his coat if he runs 
away," she said. 

It was unfortunate for the children’s plan 
that Mona should intercept them. 

She moved from a shady tree on the lawn, 
and accompanied by two gentlemen confronted 
them. 


94 


JilFs Red Bag 


A slight flush rose to her cheek when she 
saw the prisoner, and her voice faltered slightly. 

“Mr. Arnold? I have not seen you for so 
many years that I hardly recognised you at 
first. You must be staying with Lady Crane; 
though she mentioned your name to me I never 
connected it with you. I am very glad to see 
you.” 

Her tone was more nervous than cordial. 
She introduced the other gentlemen with her 
to him. “ Sir Henry Talbot. Captain Wil- 
loughby.” Then she added lightly — 

“ I might have known I would find you in 
the children’s company. I remember how fond 
you were of all small people.” 

“ He’s our prisoner,” said Jack importantly, 
“ and we’re taking him to the policeman.” 

“ A trethpather,” put in Bumps excitedly. 

“ Yes, we’re going to prosecute him,” said 
Jill gravely. 

Mona laughed, but Mr. Arnold looked grave 
enough as he said : 

“Yes, I plead guilty, but I appeal to the 
present company that I should be let off a term 
of imprisonment by paying a fine.” 

“What does he mean?” asked Jill confi- 


The Trespasser 


95 


dentially, addressing Captain Willoughby, who 
was always the children's friend. 

“ He means he’ll pay down some money if 
you make him. What has he been doing?” 

“ He has been trespassing in our most pri- 
vate place. There’s a board up, so there was 
no excuse.” 

“ I think if he pays us some money we’ll let 
him off,” said Jack. 

Mr. Arnold held out five shillings. 

“ It’s a first offence,” he said. “ I’ll never do 
it again.” 

“ What shall we do with it ? ” asked Jill, 
taking the money and fingering it dubiously. 

Mona had walked on with Sir Henry Talbot. 

Why,” said Jack “ we’ll put it in our bag.” 

Jill’s whole face brightened. 

‘‘ Thank you,” she said. “ We’ll forgive you 
then.” 

You mercenary little wretches,” said Cap- 
tain Willoughby. “ Is this a new game by 
which you fleece every stranger ? ” 

“ The money isn’t for us ! ” said Jill indig- 
nantly. “ It’s for a kind of church.” 

Mr. Arnold looked at her, and gave one of 
his rare smiles again. 


96 


Jill’s Red Bag 


I must hear about it,” he said. ‘‘ I should 
like to know where my fine will go.” 

He certainly knew how to gain children’s 
confidences. Before very long on a garden 
seat Jill was telling him about it all, even about 
their cherished ‘‘ Bethel.” 

She was rapidly making the trespasser into 
a friend. 

“ I am most interested,” he said ; ‘‘ I am 
going back to a big manufacturing town soon, 
and I think I must try and get some of my 
boys and girls to put aside a tenth.” 

‘‘ Have you any little boys and girls of your 
own?” asked Jill. 

“ I am not a father,” Mr. Arnold replied, 
‘‘ but I have all sorts and kinds of boys and 
girls who I consider belong to me. Little 
crossing-sweepers, and errand-boys, and mi- 
ners, and school-boys, and factory-girls. And 
I have a few like you who enjoy plenty from 
their Heavenly Father.” 

“ Did you know Mona long ago ? ” asked 
Jill. 

“I knew her,” said Mr. Arnold slowly, as 
his gaze travelled to a white-gowned figure in 
the distance, '‘when she was about as big as 


The Trespasser 


97 


you, and we used to spend all our holidays to- 
gether till we grew up. You ask your sister to 
tell you of our prank in the church tower with 
old Solomon Disher ! ’’ 

Oh, do tell me.” 

He shook his head. He saw Mona coming 
towards them again and he rose to meet her. 

A few words that then passed between them 
puzzled Jill. 

‘‘ Well, Mr. Arnold, tell me your news. I 
suppose you have never changed your opinion 
since we last met.” 

No, I never have.” 

His eyes and mouth were stern as he spoke. 

Mona looked at him thoughtfully, then as 
she met his gaze, she laughed lightly. 

“ Your spirit is still ruling your body. I 
can see that. And I suppose you would say 
that my body is still ruling my spirit. I think 
it is. I always told you I should take the easy 
path.” 

Mr. Arnold glanced at her, then he looked 
at the gay company on the flowered lawns, his 
ear caught the lively strains of the band, and 
his gaze wandered to the beautiful sloping hills 
and woods that formed a background to the 


98 


Jill’s Red Bag 


charming old English house that was her prop- 
erty. 

A noble patrimony/’ he said in a low clear 
voice. ‘‘ I would it did not belong to those 
who lay up treasure for themselves and are not 
rich toward God.” 

A crimson flush mounted to Mona’s fair 
cheeks. 

“ Seven years ago,” she said we parted be- 
cause of your unreasonable severity. Have we 
met to do the same this afternoon ? ” 

A smile came to his lips. 

“ I hope not. I have lived and learnt to 
judge less harshly; but my aim is still the same. 
I hope my standard has not been lowered.” 

Mona shrugged her shoulders, then deliber- 
ately walked away from him. 

Jill looked after her astonished. 

“ You have made Mona cross, Mr. Arnold.” 

“ I am afraid I have,” he said humbly. 
“ Shall we come over to the tea tent ? ” 

Jill was only too delighted. 


VIII 


I MUST LOVE FIRST, BEFORE I CAN GIVE ” 

B ut Jill lost her friend in the tent. Sev- 
eral ladies took possession of him, and 
Miss Falkner told her to come with 
her and speak to two little girls who were 
standing outside. They were evidently twins. 
Both had white delicate faces and long fair 
hair reaching almost to their waists. 

Jill was much astonished when she heard 
they were the “ Indian nieces.” 

“ Why do they call you Indians ? ” she 
asked them abruptly, as Miss Falkner having 
left them they walked across the lawn towards 
the band. 

‘‘ We are not Indians,” one of the little girls 
said indignantly. “We have been living in 
India and came to England last month. 
Mother and father are still out there.” 

“ Oh,” said Jill in a relieved tone : “ I was 
afraid you would be half black. Mona told me 
you were coming. What do you do in India ? ” 
Their tongues were loosened, they poured 


LofC. 


99 


lOO 


Jill’s Red Bag 


out such a volley of “ride through bazaars/' 
“tiffins," “ayahs," “dobies," “punkahs," 
“rupees," “ gymkanas," and other unknown 
words and terms that Jill grew quite bewil- 
dered. 

She questioned them eagerly and was quite 
impressed with all the strange things they had 
seen and heard. 

“ What kind of things do you do ? " they 
asked in their turn. “ It seems so dull to us in 
England, but that’s because we are shut up in 
a school-room with a governess." 

“ We’re never dull," said Jill warmly, 
“ Never! And we’re always doing new things 
every day. Do you see Jack and Bumps any- 
where?" 

“ Who are they ? Is Bumps a dog ? What 
a funny name ! ’’ 

“ She’s my little sister; we’ve always called 
her Bumps because she tumbles about and hurts 
herself so. They’ve gone off together some- 
where. Now if we find them you’ll see the 
sort of things we do. Whenever Jack and 
Bumps are missing, they are always up to 
something I ” 

Jill commenced a rapid and thorough search 


“I Must Love First” 


lOI 


for her brother and sister. Miss Falkner was 
also looking for them, but it was a long time 
before their search was successful. At last 
coming to a small artificial lake which was ten- 
anted by some wild waterfowl and white swans, 
they heard a commotion, and found Jack and 
Bumps very busy indeed. 

Bumps was sitting in a wheelbarrow to 
which were harnessed with yards of tape and 
ribbon, two of the swans. It had been a diffi- 
cult task, to judge from the children's heated, 
dirty faces. The birds were screeching and 
fluttering their wings, nearly choking them- 
selves in their efforts to free themselves. 

Jack was pushing the wheelbarrow behind, 
trying to follow the lead of the distressed and 
angry birds. Bumps, elated by her position, 
was brandishing a small whip and trying to 
manage her reins, which seemed a difficult 
matter. 

How they had got hold of the swans at all 
was a wonder, but Jack’s white suit was 
covered with green slime and soaked with 
water. 

“ I’m Snow White,” called out Bumps, '' but 
these thtupid thwans won’t go prop’ly ! '' 


102 


Jill’s Red Bag 


'Miss Falkner said very little, but what she 
said had the effect of bringing Jack to his 
senses. 

“Well,” she said; “you have shortened 
your happy day by this! What a pity! You 
evidently were tired of the party. We will go 
straight back to the school-room and stay there 
for the rest of the day.” 

In two minutes she had liberated the un- 
happy swans and was marching Jack and 
Bumps — one on each side of her — back to the 
house. The little girls watched them, half in 
amusement half in pity. 

“ That's what I say,” said Rose, one of the 
twins, “ a governess spoils every bit of fun ! ” 

“Miss Falkner doesn’t,” said Jill loyally, 
“ but Jack does sometimes go too far. He 
nearly hung Bumps the other day. He was 
pretending to do it, but he got the rope too 
tight round her neck. She was a Royalist and 
he was Oliver Cromwell. We had had it in 
our lesson that day. He said he really felt she 
was his enemy, and he would have to get rid 
of her! Miss Falkner was very angry. She 
is very quiet when she is angry, but she’s very 
nice. I love her ! ” 


‘‘I Must Love First” 


103 

Then with a quick change of thought, Jill 
said — 

“ Do you get a lot of money ? Have you 
pocket-money ? ” 

Yes, we have sixpence a week each, but 
it doesn’t seem a great lot.” 

“ Wouldn’t you like to give your tenth to 
God? You can easily, if you like. I’ll tell 
you how it’s done.” 

The little girls looked at Jill completely 
puzzled, but she had a wonderful way of com- 
pelling attention and interest, and before she 
separated from them that afternoon they had 
promised to think over the matter, and let her 
know what they could do. 

“ You see,” said Norah, the other twin, ‘‘ we 
haven’t very much money to spare. We want 
every penny of it. We’re always wanting to 
buy things;” 

Yes, but God wants it most,” said Jill, 
“and it’s such a very little He wants; only 
one penny out of tenpence, that’s all it is. And 
if you saw the poor people out on Chilton Com- 
mon, who have no church and who look so 
dirty and wicked, you’d like to give some 
money to help them.” 


104 


Jill’s Red Bag 


“ Are you good ? ” asked Rose looking at 
her curiously. 

No, Fm awfully wicked,” said Jill with con- 
viction, “ but giving your money away doesn’t 
make you good. I wish it did.” 

There was nothing to say to this. They 
parted excellent friends, but Rose said to 
Norah afterwards, “ She’s rather a nice girl, 
but I feel if I was with her she would 
make me do a thing whether I liked it or 
not.” 

It’s the way she talks,” said Norah ; “ she 
gets so excited over it. I never heard of a 
tenth before, did you ? ” 

‘‘No, never. I wonder if Aunt Mary gives 
it, I will ask her.” 

Jill had a word or two again with Mr. 
Arnold before he left. He came up to wish 
her sister good-bye when she was standing by 
her side. 

“ Good-bye, Miss Baron. I am off to my 
work again to-morrow, so shall not see you 
again for some time.” 

Mona looked up at him a little wistfully, 
then spoke in her most airy manner — 

“Good-bye, it is not likely we shall often 


“I Must Love First’’ 


105 


meet; my path is not yours, as you are so fond 
of inferring.” 

He looked at her in silence, then his hand 
fell rather heavily on Jill’s shoulder. 

“ I think of you,” he said, “ as you were at 
this age. This little sister of yours has dis- 
covered that she is a steward — ^help her when 
she grows up, as you were never helped, to 
preserve her childish faith and integrity. It 
is required in stewards that a man may be 
found faithful ! ” 

Then turning to Jill he said — 

‘‘Good-bye, little friend. I am not sorry 
that I trespassed this afternoon, for I am going 
away happier than when I came.” 

“ And you don’t mind us keeping your five 
shillings ? ” 

“ I shall like to think of it reposing in that 
scarlet bag you told me about ! ” 

He went, and Mona turned sharply upon 

Jill- 

“Run away, child, to Miss Falkner. It is 
getting late, you have been here long enough.” 

Jill obeyed, wondering why her sister spoke 
so crossly. 

It was a few days after this that Jill dis- 


io6 


Jill’s Red Bag 


covered two more trespassers in the vicinity 
of Bethel. 

She was by herself, and did not feel quite 
so ready to arrest them when they proved to 
be Mona and Captain Willoughby. 

They had been wandering through the plan- 
tation, and Captain Willoughby’s voice was 
very low and earnest when the sudden ap- 
pearance of Jill startled and disconcerted 
him. 

You can’t come any further, I’m afraid,” 
said Jill barring the way ; “ for you’ll be tres- 
passing.” 

Mona looked at her in amusement. 

“Whose wood is this? Yours or mine?” 
she asked. 

“ This corner is ours,” answered Jill firmly, 
“ No one used it before we did.” 

“ But what have you been using it for ? ” 
inquired Mona. 

Jill looked a little rebellious. Captain Wil- 
loughby seized hold of her. 

“ You are the little trespasser, not us, I 
fancy,” he said. “ Now then I have got you. 
Come along, and don’t pull away from me 
unless you want a sore wrist.” 


“I Must Love First” 


107 


So Jill was dragged captive before her board 
and pile of stones. 

Mona looked at it curiously. 

''Now what on earth does it mean, Jill? 
Explain.’’ 

" You’re trespassers both of you,” said Jill 
stubbornly. " It’s got to do with us, and we are 
the ones that know about it.” 

" The mighty US! ” said Captain Wil- 
loughby, who loved to tease her sometimes. 

But Mona stopped him, and drew Jill’s hand 
out of his very gently. 

" Never mind, Jill dear. We will own our- 
selves trespassers if you will explain this. 
What does ' Bethel ’ mean ? It is a Bible word, 
is it not ? ” 

Jill was quickly appeased. When Mona 
spoke to her kindly she was ready to tell her 
anything. 

" It is a secret place, and a religious one,” 
^she said. 

" Of course it comes out of the Bible, and 
it’s not idolatry, though Sam’s father says it 
is.” 

" I know ! ” said Captain Willoughby. " It’s 
an altar, and you offer sacrifices on it.” 


% 


io8 


Jill’s Red Bag 


** No, we don’t,” said Jill indignantly, ‘‘ we 
wouldn’t be so wicked ! ” 

But the good people in the Bible always 
offered sacrifices,” argued the young Captain. 

Jill looked at him thoughtfully. 

** Well, we don’t,” she said. 

‘‘What do you do?” asked her sister. 
“ This is a kind of altar, isn’t it ? ” 

“ It is a kind of one,” admitted Jill, “ though 
Jacob did not call it an altar. He made a heap 
of stones and called it Bethel, and so we’ve 
done it too.” 

“ Oh, I see,” said Captain Willoughby. 
“ This is Jacob’s heap of stones. Isn’t one of 
them in the King’s coronation chair, by the 
bye?” 

“But what use is this to you?” asked 
Mona, wanting to get to the bottom of it. 

“ It has to do with our vow,” said Jill, 
speaking fast and earnestly. “We have done 
what Jacob did, we’ve told God we’ll give Him 
our tenth. ‘ Of all that Thou shalt give me, I 
will surely give a tenth unto Thee.’ That’s the 
vow. And if anybody wants to make it I shall 
let them come here and make it, and they won’t 
be trespassers any longer.” 


‘‘I Must Love First’* 


109 


That’s a grand inducement,” murmured 
the Captain, “ but what does your tenth con- 
sist of, Jill? Sweets and currant-buns, and 
dolls, and picture-books? I should like the 
system explained.” 

‘‘ It’s the tenth of our money, of course,” 
said Jill, I thought everybody knew that.” 

Mona was silent. She was looking a little 
troubled. Then she turned suddenly to Jill — 
Is this where you brought Mr. Arnold 
the other day ? ” 

“ I found him here,” said Jill. ‘‘ He was 
a trespasser. That’s why he gave me five 
shillings.” 

‘‘ What have you done with it ? ” 

“ I’ve put it into our bag. Miss Falkner 
made us a red bag and all our tenth goes into 
it, and then I take it to Mr. Errington, and 
he’s going to build a mission church on Chilton 
Common with it 1 ” 

Mona gasped, then she began to laugh. 

‘‘ Hopeful Mr. Errington ! I admire his am- 
bition, but I fancy many years will roll by 
before that church is built ! ” 

knew you would laugh,” said Jill re- 
proachfully. 


I lO 


Jill’s Red Bag 


‘‘ Well/' said Mona, looking first at Jill and 
then at her pile of stones, “ I always did say 
you children had the bump of invention. 
But I, with Mr. Arnold, will plead guilty of 
the charge of trespassing; and you must do 
the same. Captain Willoughby. What will you 
fine us, Jill? Five shillings? I think we can- 
not escape with less than that” 

Be merciful,” pleaded Captain Willoughby. 
If I had known this visit of ours would have 
entailed such a loss to my pocket, I would have 
kept a long way off from it I ” 

Jill looked perplexed. 

“ I don’t want to get money out of people,” 
she said, “ but you really are trespassers, and 
it will be lovely for our bag ! ” 

Mona took her purse out of her pocket, and 
put half a sovereign into her little sister’s 
hand. 

There ! ” she said. Run away and put 
that into your bag. It is for a good object. 
Now, Captain Willoughby, we must go back 
to the house. I promised to drive with Miss 
Webb at four o’clock, and it is that already.” 

Jill turned over the gold coin in amazement 
and delight. She thanked her sister effusively. 


‘‘I Must Love First’’ 


III 


“ I knew our bag would get on, I was sure 
it would,” she said; and then she scampered 
back to the school-room, where Miss Falkner 
was teaching Jack how to arrange his stamps 
geographically in his stamp album, and Bumps 
was looking admiringly on. 

Look ! ” she cried. Mona has given 
this to me for our bag! Isn’t it perfectly 
lovely.” 

She got plenty of sympathy from the school- 
room party. Miss Falkner had heard at last 
about Bethel,” but she had respected Jill’s 
wish about it, and had never been there. 

That evening when the children were in bed 
she sat by the open school-room window. Her 
thoughts were not sad ones, though she had 
had much in her life to make her sad. And 
when a slender figure in a black lace gown 
came across the dusky lawn and spoke to her, 
it was the young heiress’s face that looked 
weary and troubled, not the governess’s. 

Miss Falkner looked up brightly. 

“ Isn’t it a delicious evening? ” 

Is it? Yes, I suppose so. I wish I en- 
joyed things as you do. Miss Falkner.” 

There was a little silence. 


I 12 


Jill’s Red Bag 


//Then Mona sat on the loyv^ window-ledge and 
put her light shawl over her shoulders. 

‘‘ I must have some one to talk to to-night, 
or I feel I shall go crazy, and I have come out 
of doors to get away from Miss Webb, be- 
cause she is so cross with me.’’ 

Miss Falkner looked her s)mipathy but said 
nothing. 

Jill has altered a chapter in my life to-day, 
and I don’t know whether I am glad or sorry.” 

“ I hope she has done good, not harm,” said 
Miss Falkner. 

From your standpoint — yes. From mine 
— I’m not so sure. I was about to yield to per- 
suasion, when she interrupted us, but after her 
interruption, I — well I altered my mind. What 
a lot of bother one’s memory gives one ! ” 

Sometimes it does.” 

Mona moved in her seat restlessly. 

Seven years ago. Miss Falkner, I quar- 
relled with some one that I liked very much. 
It was about a certain subject. It is strange 
that this week the same person and the identi- 
cal subject have both cropped up again.” 

“ I should say,” said Miss Falkner, ‘‘ that 
the coincident has occurred for a purpose.” 



‘‘I Must Love First” 


113 


'' Yes, I knew you would say that.” Then 
after a pause she said — 

“ Do you believe that prosperity is good or 
bad for one ? ” 

‘'I think if we regard our wealth as a trust 
it will be good for us,” said Miss Falkner. 

Mona laughed a little bitterly. 

Of course. It is the same old story. Peo- 
ple can't give because it's right to give. I hate 
being forced.” 

“ No,” said Miss Falkner gently. ‘‘ It is 
only when we love the One to whom our wealth 
belongs that we love to give it back to Him.” 

“ Then,” said Mona, I must love first, be- 
fore I can give.” 

She rose, then looked a little wistfully at 
the young governess. 

“ Sometimes I wish I could change places 
with you,” she said, and before Miss Falkner 
could make any reply she slipped away. 


IX 


TRYING TO BE ‘‘ DOUBLE GOOD 


A 


RE you going away? 


It was Jack who spoke, and who 
stood at the door of Captain Wil- 


loughby^s room, looking at the half-filled port- 
manteaus, and the general chaos of a man’s 
quarters when he is on the point of departure. 
It was before breakfast, and being a rainy 
morning. Jack was wandering about the pas- 
sages seeking for some occupation. 

Captain Willoughby looked up from his 
employment. He was vainly trying to strap 
a Gladstone bag, and was muttering impreca- 
tions under his breath 

‘‘ Now then, young shaver, what do you 
want? You children are always turning up 
when you aren’t desired. I have to thank your 
small sister yesterday for an interruption which 
proved disastrous ! ” 

Jack edged himself in, and climbed -up to the 
iron foot-rail of the bed, where he sat swing- 
ing his legs. 

“ Why are you going? ” 

‘‘You didn’t really think I had taken up 


Trying to Be “Double Good” 115 


my quarters here for good and all, did 
you ? 

Captain Willoughby’s tone was distinctly 
irritable. 

“You needn’t be waxy,” said Jack cheekily. 
“There’s one thing! I know you’ll be back 
again before long 1 ” 

“ Shall I ? ” said the Captain, giving a 
vicious tug to his straps. “ I shall volunteer 
to go out to India with the next draft; I’m 
sick of England.” 

“ Do tell me why you’re so cross,” said Jack 
earnestly, clasping his hands round his knees. 

Captain Willoughby had finished his task. 
He sat down upon his bag with a sigh of relief. 

“ There I I shall leave my man to do the 
rest. The world is an utter failure. Jack, that’s 
what it is I ” 

“Is it?” said Jack innocently. 

“ Yes,” went on Captain Willoughby. “And 
it’s the women who are at the bottom of it. 
They’re all the same — unstable, uncertain, 
fickle, false, their moods change from day to 
day; they make you believe in them, and take 
you in all round, and then are quite surprised 
to see that you are taken aback by their com- 
plete change of tone and mind. It’s a bad 
thing, my boy, to spend too much time with 


Jill’s Red Bag 


1 16 


women. Remember that when you grow up. 
You will rue the day you made their acquaint- 
ance.” 

This dissertation was perfectly incomprehen- 
sible to Jack. He stared at the Captain with 
open eyes and mouth. Then he slipped down 
from his perch. 

“ I’m sorry you’re so put out,” he said. ‘‘ I 
suppose you’re cross because you have to go 
away.” 

Then he slipped out of the room, and con- 
fided to Jill that Captain Willoughby was 
awfully cross with everybody in the world, and 
that she had better keep out of his way. 

The children with their governess occasion- 
ally lunched in the dining-room, when there 
were no visitors. 

Jack looked around on this particular day 
before he commenced to eat. 

‘‘There are five women,” he announced; 
“and I’m the only man. It’s a bad lookout 
for me ! ” 

“ Why ? ” asked Mona, who had been sitting 
at the head of the table rather distrait and 
silent. 

“Because,” said Jack slowly, “ Captain Wil- 
loughby told me this morning that it is a bad 
thing to spend too much time with women.” 


Trying to Be ‘‘Double Good” 117 


Mona's cheeks flushed a deep crimson. Miss 
Webb glared at Jack through her pince-nez, 
and then Mona laughed outright. 

I’m afraid your lot is cast amongst women 
for the present, Jack. When you are Captain 
Willoughby’s age, I advise you to be careful 
how you cultivate their society.” 

'' Mona ! ” said Miss Webb warningly. 

“Oh yes,” said Mona; “I mean it. And 
if a woman, Jack, gets tired of your company, 
and doesn’t like the idea of spending all her 
life with you, take yourself off like a man, and 
don’t be talking over your grievances with 
everybody you come across ! ” 

Jack said no more. His sister’s words were 
like Captain Willoughby’s, beyond his com- 
prehension. 

Jill’s walk to the Golden City was a very 
halting one. When she was put to bed at night 
she generally reviewed her path through the 
day, and sometimes Bumps was favoured with 
her confidences. 

“I’ve had an awful day,” she admitted one 
night after a series of misdemeanours and pun- 
ishments. “ I meant to go as straight as — as 
a ruler, and I’ve gone all crooked. I always 
mean to behave, but things happen to make 
me forget ! ” 


Jill’s Red Bag 


Ii8 


“ Yeth/’ said Bumps a little virtuously. 

You forgot when you dressed up the black 
cat in Annie’s cap and apron that she alwayth 
goes in the coal cellar when she’s frightened. 
And when Annie is croth, she’s horrid ! When 
you locked her up here becauth she said she’d 
tell Miss Falkner, I knew she’d bang at the 
door till she brought everybody up-stairs. I 
tolded you tho.” 

“ Well,” said Jill, sighing; when Miss 
Falkner gave me a column of spelling to learn 
as a punishment, I did mean to do it; but when 
I saw Sam pass through the garden, I just 
forgot all about it, and all I thought was that 
this was the day he got his money, and I must 
ask him again about his tenth — of course that 
was another crooked turn I took; and when 
Miss Falkner said she couldn’t trust me I 
think Satan came up behind and pushed me 
down as hard as he could. For I don’t remem- 
ber what I called her ! I only know I was in a 
passion.” 

You called her a beatht! ” said Bumps in 
a shocked tone; “and Jack and I heard you, 
and Jack said he wouldn’t never have called 
her that!” 

“And then I threw the spelling-book in the 
fire, and then I was sent to bed,” pursued Jill 


Trying to Be ‘‘Double Good’* 119 


mournfully. “ I wonder, Bumps, if you can 
make up for one bad day in the next. You 
see, if I was sent to walk two miles along a 
road, and I only did a little bit of a mile, and 
the rest of the time I went into crooked lanes 
and got myself into scrapes, I think the next 
day if I ran hard all day, and never stopped to 
sit down one minute, perhaps I could do the 
two miles I didn’t do the day before, and two 
more besides.” 

“Two and two make four,” said Bumps 
complacently. “ Will you try to-morrow, 
Jill?” 

“ 1 think I will,” said Jill. “ I don’t want 
to lose a day if I can help it.” 

The next morning she remembered her re- 
solve, and she added a silent petition to her 
morning prayer — 

“ Oh God, please help me to run hard and 
very straight to-day. Keep me from tumbling, 
and let me make up for yesterday, for Jesus 
Christ’s sake. Amen.” 

“ Jill is going to be very, very good to-day,” 
said Bumps confidentially to Jack. 

“Is she?” said Jack with interest. “Then 
I’ll ask her to give me those stamps Captain 
Willoughby gave her the other day.” 

Jill was taken aback by this request. 


120 


Jill’s Red Bag 


They are mine, Jack. You know I’m be- 
ginning to collect them.” 

Yes, but it will be luikind if you don’t give 
them to me, because I want them. You should 
try to please others before yourself, that’s what 
Miss Falkner says.” 

Jill did not see this. 

I thought you were going to be double 
good to-day,” said crafty Jack. 

Yes,” said Jill slowly; ‘‘but if you take 
them it will be unkind and selfish of you.” 

“ But I’m not trying to be good to-day like 
you,” argued Jack, quite unabashed. 

“ But I shall be making it easy for you to be 
wicked; I shall be helping you to do an unkind 
thing.” 

They were in the thick of their argument 
when Miss Falkner came into the room, so 
they dropped it. Lessons were started, and 
progressed very smoothly. At twelve o’clock, 
when they were dismissed, Jill came to Jack, 
and put the stamps into his hand. 

“ There they are,” she said; “ but I wouldn’t 
be you for anything! ” 

“ I’ve helped you to be good,” said Jack with 
the greatest satisfaction as he sat down at the 
school-room table and began to stick the 
stamps into his album at once. 


Trying to Be ‘^Double Good’’ 


I2I 


Jill ran out into the garden. 

“ Come and thwing me! ’’ cried Bumps. 

‘‘ I can't, Bumps, I must try to do something 
wonderfully good." 

‘‘What will you do?" asked Bumps curi- 
ously. 

“ I don’t know; I think I will get the Bible 
and find out." 

As quick in action as in thought, Jill darted 
into the house and soon returned with her 
Bible in her hand. For some minutes she 
turned over the leaves of it unsuccessfully, then 
an under-gardener passed her. 

Now this young man was a local chapel 
preacher, and Jill had heard some of the serv- 
ants call him “ a shining light." She looked 
up at him inquiringly. 

“ Tom," she said, “ what is the very good- 
est thing to do when you want to be really 
good?" 

Tom scratched his head. 

“ ’Tis God’s Word will tell ’ee. Miss Jill. 
There be that sayin’ of Apostle James — ‘ Pure 
religion an’ undefiled is to visit the widows and 
fatherless in their affliction, and to keep one- 
self unspotted from the world.’ ’Tisn’t many 
that get beyond that ! ’’ 

“ Thank you," said Jill in delight. “ Please 


122 


Jill’s Red Bag 


show me the verse in case I may forget 
it.” 

So Tom took her Bible in his hand and 
found it for her, then went on his way; and 
Jill began to formulate her plans with great 
rapidity. 

“ ‘ Unspotted from the world ’ means, of 
course, not to tumble down and dirty my frock 
on the way to the Golden City. That I’m try- 
ing to do hard, but I haven’t visited any 
widows, and I know there are two or three 
in the village. That will be a lovely way of 
doing good. I will go at once.” 

But alas for Jill ! Mona was calling her to 
come and pick some flowers for her. 

For a minute she thought of running away, 
then her conscience told her — 

That will not be running in a straight 
road,” and she reluctantly obeyed her sister’s 
call, and picked flowers till the bell rang for 
the school-room dinner. 

She was not free from lessons till four 
o’clock. Then, without saying a word to any 
one, she put on her hat and ran out of the house 
and down the long drive as fast as her legs 
could carry her. She knew one old widow by 
sight, but she had never been inside her cot- 
tage. She was rather shunned by her neigh- 


Trying to Be “Double Good’^ 123 


hours, as she was a very dirty, thriftless 
woman, and earned her living by collecting 
rags and bones. 

Jill knocked at her door eagerly and breath- 
lessly. 

The old woman poked her head out and 
looked at her crossly. 

What do ’ee want ? ” 

‘‘ IVe come to visit you.” 

Don’t want no visits from plaguey chil- 
dren! ” 

The door was banged in her face. 

Poor Jill retired discomfited. Then she 
thought of another widow who had lately lost 
her husband, a very respectable farmer. She 
lived at a farm some distance off, but distance 
was no detriment to Jill’s purpose. 

Away she went; across fields and down 
lanes ; getting more tired and heated every step 
she took. 

She found the young woman at her wash- 
tub. 

** May I come in and visit you? ” asked Jill 
meekly. 

Come in and welcome, miss. I think you 
be one of the little ladies belongin’ to Miss 
Baron?” 

“Yes, I am,” said Jill, seating herself on 


124 


Jill’s Red Bag 


a low stool with a sigh of relief. I’m glad 
you will let me come in. Old Mrs. Jonas 
wouldn’t ! ” 

“ That old cat ! Why, miss ! you be never 
tryin’ to visit her ? ” 

“ I’m visiting all the widows I can find to- 
day,” said Jill solemnly. ‘‘ The Bible tells 
me to.” 

Young Mrs. Drake put her apron to her 

eyes. 

“ Aye, dearie me ! My poor, dear husban’ ! 
To think that I be called a widder along wi’ 
that old good-for-nothin’ Mrs. Jonas ! Oh, ’tis 
a cruel, wicked world, and hard on me that 
has allays done me duty an’ attended church 
reg’lar ! ” 

‘‘ Don’t cry, please,” said Jill, only dimly 
understanding the drift of her words. ‘‘ You 
can’t help being a widow, you know. That’s 
why I’ve come to see you. And I’ve come 
to see your children too, because it says the 
‘ fatherless ! ’ ” 

But at this Mrs. Drake began to sob afresh, 
and so violently that Jill felt quite alarmed. 

“So they be! 'Fatherless.’ An’ only last 
Wednesday three weeks he were a dandlin’ of 
’em on his knee. Oh, ’tis hard, ’tis cruel hard 
on a poor, single woman ! ” 


Trying to Be ‘‘Double Good’' 


125 


A hard-featured woman put her head in at 
the door. 

‘‘ Why, Polly, what be ’ee makin' such a 
moan over ? 

Then seeing Jill, she stepped forward. 

Mrs. Drake sobbed the louder. 

“ Little miss have been mindin' me that Tm 
a lone widder, and my chillen fatherless. So 
they be, the poor critturs, but 'tis hard to have 
it thrown up agen me. Ah, my poor, dear 
husban'! Oh, Jim, Jim! why did 'ee leave 
me?" 

She began to beat her hands to and fro, and 
seemed to be hysterically inclined. 

“ Run away," said the hard-featured woman. 
‘‘ You won't do no good here, missy. Poor 
soul! she has been well-nigh distracted, and 
I were hopin' she were gettin' over the worst 
of it, and now she be so bad as ever ! " 

Jill crept out of the house feeling her visit 
had been a failure. 

As she gained the high road again, she met 
Sir Henry Talbot, whom Bumps still called the 
“ keeper." 

He was very good to the children, and 
stopped directly he saw her. 

“ Hulloo ! " he said. Are you having an- 
other truant day? Are you all alone?" 


126 


Jiirs Red Bag 


“ Fm not truanting,” said Jill. “ IVe been 
looking for widows. Do you know any, Sir 
Henry 

He laughed. 

'' I do. Now, what tne dickens do you want 
widows for? Tell me, and Vl\ help you.” 

Jill hesitated. 

You won’t laugh at me? ” 

On my honour, no.” 

I’m trying to be double good to-day, so I’m 
visiting them, like the Bible says we must.” 

Sir Henry did not laugh. He only stood 
and looked at her. 

‘^And what do you say to them when you 
see them ? ” 

'' That’s the difficult part,” said Jill. “ I 
don’t quite know what to say. I’ve been to 
one widow, and she wouldn’t let me in, and 
I’ve been to another and made her cry.” 

And now you’re looking for a third. Well, 
I will help you. Do you see that big house 
behind the trees over there? A widow lives 
there, and her name is Mrs. Beresford. Go 
and see her, and make her cry if you can.” 

But I don’t want to make them cry,” said 
Jill. Will she like to see me?” 

should think she would. I should, if 
I were a widow.” 


Trying to Be “Double Good” 127 


‘‘ Has she any children ? I want to visit 
some fatherless/' 

“ Happy thought ! Come home and have 
some tea with me. I'm a fatherless creature. 
My father died when I was an infant." 

I think," said Jill slowly, “ the Bible 
means poor widows and fatherless. You aren't 
in affliction, are you ? " 

'' No," said Sir Henry. I can hardly say 
I am." 

Then thank you very much, but I shall 
have to look for some really poor people." 

And nothing that he could say would induce 
her to accompany him home. 

She plodded back to the village, but before 
she reached it, she came upon a little party of 
tramps who had drawn up their pony and cart 
by the roadside, and were eating their evening 
meal. 

They were not prepossessing in appearance. 
Two women, both of whom seemed careworn 
and down-trodden, four children, ragged and 
dirty, and a sullen, bad-tempered looking man. 
Jill looked at them with interest. One of the 
women had a rusty piece of crape on her bon- 
net. It was that which prompted Jill to speak. 

‘‘ Are you a widow ? " she asked. 

The woman stared at her, but the elder one 


Jill's Red Bag 


1 28 


of the two gave her a nudge, then answered 
for her. 

‘‘Yes, little lady, she be, indeed; lost her 
por husban' a few weeks ago, an' leaves 'er 
with three chillen under four year. 'Ave you 
a copper, miss, to give 'er? for she be on her 
way to the 'ouse." 

“ Fm afraid I haven't any money," said Jill, 
“ but ril sit down and talk to her. It's what 
I came out to do — ^to visit widows." 

The man eyed Jill up and down in a way 
that she did not much like, but she was a fear- 
less child, and was so full of the part she meant 
to play that she did not think of anything else. 

“ I suppose you are in affliction," she said, 
gazing sympathetically into the woman's face. 
“ I'm so sorry for you. Do tell me which are 
your little children." 

The woman looked at Jill with dull, curious 
eyes. She indicated her little ones by a back- 
ward movement of her thumb. 

“ And what house are you going to ? " asked 

Jill. 

“There be only one 'ouse for the likes o' 
me," the woman responded bitterly; then she 
turned her head to watch the approach of a 
carriage. 

Jill enticed one of the small children to come 


Trying to Be “Double Good’* 129 


to her. She heard a carriage pass, but did not 
look up, then she was startled by her name 
being called, and sprang to her feet. 

Mona was calling her, for it was she and 
Miss Webb who were driving by. 

Mona's disgust was great at seeing a party 
of the lowest class of tramps sitting by the 
roadside, and her little sister in the midst of 
them. She spoke very sharply — 

“ Come here at once, Jill ! What do you 
mean by disgracing yourself and us so ? " 

Jill turned to the woman politely. 

“ I'm sorry I have to go," she said. ''Good- 
bye." 

She insisted on shaking hands, then came 
up to the carriage-door, looking a little defiant. 

" Get in at once, and we will drive home. 
How is it. Miss Webb, that even with this im- 
maculate Miss Falkner these children are for 
ever getting into scrapes ? " 

Jill climbed into the carriage, feeling very 
uncomfortable under her sister's scrutiny. She 
was conscious that she was very heated and 
untidy; Mona's fresh daintiness made her feel 
her own deficiency in neatness. 

" Give me an explanation of this at once, you 
naughty child," said Mona peremptorily. 

Jill’s eyes flashed. 


'' I'm not naughty," she said indignantly; 
“ IVe — Fve been visiting widows.” 

Miss Webb scented amusement. She sat 
up straight, and tapped Jill’s knee with her 
pince-nez. 

“ That’s very interesting,” she said. Of 
course, visiting widows is not a sin. But who 
told you to do it? And why did you pick out 
a family of tramps to work off your energy 
upon ? ” 

Jill shut her mouth firmly. She keenly re- 
sented Miss Webb’s tone of ridicule, and deter- 
mined to say no more. 

Mona gave her a long lecture upon the 
dangers to which she had exposed herself in 
making friends with tramps, and when they 
reached home she was delivered over to her 
governess with a sharp injunction to punish 
her for running away, and keep her in the 
school-room for the rest of the evening. 

'' So that’s what I get for trying to be 
double good! ” said poor Jill when she was in 
bed that night. ‘‘ I never will try it again ! ” 

'' Perhaps,” said Bumps with wisdom be- 
yond her years, ‘‘ it wasn’t quite the right way 
to be it I ” 


X 


A PAPER CHASE 

S AM STONE did not hold out very long. 
Jill pursued him everywhere, and was 
never tired of dilating on his selfish- 
ness and greediness, in refusing to give up a 
tenth of his weekly wage. 

She was beside herself with delight one day, 
when he came to her with a two-shilling 
piece. 

That be my portion for that there scarlet 
bag, missy,’’ he said. I’ll stick to it for a 
bit an’ give it reg’lar every woek, but if-so-be 
that I be wantin’ of it, well I must have it. 
That’s all I can say, an’ I hope fayther won’t 
miss his comforts through it ! ” 

You must never go back from it,” said Jill 
looking up at him solemnly. “ It’s a vow I 
You can’t break a vow, it’s a much more solemn 
thing than a promise ! ” 

“ But I don’t mean to make no vow ! ” said 
Sam. 

That would not suit Jill at all. She talked 
away to him, and finally threatened that she 
13 1 


132 


Jill’s Red Bag 


would get Miss Falkner to come and see him 
and explain it to him. 

She’ll make you see you ought to do it.” 

I’ll do my best, missy, but ’tis the prayer 
you say I must make, stumps me. I’ve been 
a-looking through the chapter, an’ Jacob he 
spoke up very certain-like about the Lord be- 
ing his God. I don’t set up to be a religious 
man myself, and I don’t want to make no prom- 
ises that I bain’t a-goin’ to keep ! ” 

Jill insisted upon getting her Bible and read- 
ing the verses through to him. 

Jacob doesn’t promise anything wonder- 
ful, Sam. He only says if God will be good 
to him and take care of him, he will make Him 
his God, and give his tenth to Him. Why the 
Lord is your God, Sam, isn’t He ? ” 

‘‘ I don’t know what the words mean right- 
ly,” said Sam dubiously. 

“ They just mean that you must belong to 
God, and He will belong to you. You do be- 
long to Him already, Sam, you know you do ! ” 
'' I bain’t so sure.” 

“ Oh, Sam ! God made you, and keeps you 
alive every day, and Miss Falkner says it isn’t 
only what God does for us, but Jesus died for 
us, so that ought to make us belong to Him 
doubly sure!” 


A Paper Chase 


133 


“ Well/’ said Sam after long thought, I’ll 
come to ‘ Bethel ’ to-morrow.” 

So the next day saw him go through the lit- 
tle ceremony with great feeling and earnest- 
ness of purpose, though the effort cost him a 
good deal. 

‘‘ I’ve done it fayther,” he said when he went 
home, I’ve tooken the vow for good and all. 
I thought it were a kind o’ game when Miss 
Jill first brought it up, but I’ve been readin’ 
the Bible, an’ it do seem very plain, an’ — an’ 
— well — we do be ungrateful creatures to the 
good God ! ” 

The scarlet bag grew heavy with coppers as 
time went on. Norah and Rose Beecher came 
over to tea one day, and were persuaded to join 
‘'Our Tenth Society!” 

Jill got to calling it grandly the “ O.T.S.” 
and soon had the satisfaction of enrolling 
Annie the school-room maid as one of its 
members. 

Then came talk of summer holidays. Mona 
came into the school-room one evening to con- 
sult with Miss Falkner about it. 

“ I suppose you must go home?” she asked. 
“ You would not be able to take the children to 
the seaside?” 

“ I am afraid not,” said Miss Falkner. “ I 


134 


Jill’s Red Bag 


have a mother who lives quite alone, and who 
looks for me to come to her whenever I can/’ 

“ Ah,” said Mona with a little sigh. “ You 
have something that I have not.” 

Then she added in a different tone — 

I don’t know what to do with the children. 
They play such pranks, and they’re too old for 
nurses. Jack and Jill are quite beyond them.” 

Miss Falkner could offer no suggestion. 
Mona went on — 

^‘Miss Webb has offered to look after them, 
but I want her to come abroad with me, and she 
cannot do both.” 

“ I suppose you will have to leave them here 
for their holidays ? ” 

I see the look in your eyes,. Miss Falkner! 
You think me a selfish wretch for letting my 
claims on Miss Webb come first. Perhaps you 
are like Mrs. Errington, who at once saw a 
solution out of the difficulty. ‘ Take them to 
some comfortable farmhouse and look after 
them yourself I ’ I told her I should be worn 
out in twenty-four hours. I often wonder how 
you can stand it ! ” 

‘‘ It is my life-work,” said Miss Falkner 
quietly. “ But I am so fond of children that 
they do not tire me.” 

‘‘ Well,” said Mona giving an impatient sigh, 


A Paper Chase 


135 


“ my life-work at present is to amuse myself. 
I find it hard work sometimes. But as you 
won’t make it easy for me to carry off Miss 
Webb I suppose I must leave her behind.” 

And so it was settled. Miss Webb resigned 
herself to her fate. Mona went to some of her 
numerous friends, and Miss Falkner took her 
departure. 

The children hovered about her as she packed 
the day before she went, and hindered rather 
than helped her. 

“Just tell me what your mother and your 
home is like,” said Jill. “ I’m going to shut 
my eyes and pretend I see you. Make your- 
self saying ^ How do you do,’ to her.” 

Miss Falkner smiled. 

“ Shut your eyes then. A narrow street, 
and a terrace of small houses with little bal- 
conies above. A cab stops at the door, and a 
young woman — ^^shall I call her ? — ^hurries up 
the narrow steps. Some one has been watch- 
ing at the door. A gentle, sweet-faced woman 
with a bright smile and tired body, comes for- 
ward to greet her. Then she takes her to a little 
upstairs drawing-room, which is full of sweet- 
smelling flowers, and a canary bird and a big 
tabby cat — ^both the best of friends — are also 
waiting to greet the home-comer. Tea is wait- 


136 


Jill’s Red Bag 


ing. A little rosy-cheeked maid brings the 
kettle in. The windows are open, but the small 
balcony is full of flowers, and the scent and 
sight of them makes one forget the narrow, 
dingy street outside. Can you see my home, 
Jill? Can you see me sitting down by my 
mother’s side, and saying, ‘ No more lessons, 
and no more children for six weeks ’ ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Jill with tightly closed eyes, I 
can see you; but, oh. Miss Falkner,” and here 
she flung her arms round her governess’s neck 
as she was stooping to put some things in her 
travelling trunk, “promise on your word and 
honour that you’ll come back to us ! ” 

“ Indeed I hope to do so, dear.” 

“ And don’t, don^t like your mother better 
than us ! ” 

Miss Falkner could not help laughing. When 
the very thought of her mother brought a light 
to her eye and a lump in her throat; when the 
anticipation of her mother’s kiss and greeting 
was now the first waking thought, how could 
she explain to a motherless child the strong 
tie between an only daughter and her mother! 

“ You must be a good child, Jill, whilst I 
am away. Let me find you when I come back 
steadily going forward towards the Golden 
City. God will help you, darling.” 


A Paper Chase 


137 


Jill nodded soberly. 

“ And we’ll go on filling our bag. And per- 
haps the mission church will be built by the 
time you come back.” 

Miss Falkner did not damp her hopes. She 
parted with her little pupils with sincere regret. 
Bumps sobbed audibly when she wished her 
good-bye, and Jill crept up to her room to have 
her weep out in secret. Jack appeared stolidly 
unconcerned, but when the carriage had taken 
Miss Falkner away, he went straight to the 
stables, a forbidden resort. 

Here, Stokes,” he called out to one of the 
grooms, I’ve come out here because it’s so 
beastly dull, and I don’t care who finds me 
here; for there isn’t a person left in the house 
that I care about at all ! ” 

For the first few days the children missed 
their governess very much, then the delights of 
the holidays took full possession of them. Miss 
Webb was valiantly trying to do her duty. She 
took them for drives and for picnics in the 
woods. She went into the nearest town and 
bought them outdoor games and story-books; 
and if she saw them safely to bed at the end of 
the day without any serious mishap having 
taken place, she heaved a sigh of relief and 
said — 


138 


Jill’s Red Bag 


One more day got through safely ! ” 

Jack was her greatest trial. Jill was really 
trying to be good, but Jack's spirits were hard 
to restrain, and whatever he did, and wherever 
he went. Bumps was sure to follow. 

One afternoon after their early dinner. Miss 
Webb retired to her room with a headache. It 
was a hot, sultry day in August. She left her 
charges playing a game of cricket on their 
lawn, and hoped they would stay there till tea- 
time. 

Jill was the first one to give up cricket. 

Fm going to write a letter to Miss Falk- 
ner," she said. You go on playing without 
me. 

“ Bumps can’t bowl,” complained Jack; she 
throws the ball up into the sky as if she’s aim- 
ing at the sun.” 

I’ll bat,” suggested Bumps cheerfully. 

‘‘ Yes, and I’ll put you out, first bowl. There 
you are, you little stupid ! ” 

Bumps stared blankly at her wicket, then at 
Jack. 

''What shall we do next?” she inquired. 

" We’ll have a paper chase,” suggested Jack, 
who was never at a loss. 

" And where shall we get the paper ? ” asked 
Bumps in great glee at the prospect. 


A Paper Chase 


139 


Oh, come on into the house. We’ll find it 
somewhere.” 

Jack was not particular where he got his 
paper. Miss Webb’s waste-paper basket was 
first seized, then The Times of the day before 
and sundry magazines in the drawing-room, 
then the library was invaded and various pa- 
pers and circulars abstracted from the writing- 
table. 

I shall be hare, of course,” said Jack as he 
sat down on the floor with Bumps, and rapidly 
began to tear his various papers to pieces. 
'' You must give me ten minutes’ start. Bumps, 
by the clock, and then you must follow the 
paper, and never stop till you catch me up.” 

‘‘You won’t go twenty miles away?” said 
Bumps very anxiously. 

“ Of course I won’t ! And get Jill to come 
with you. It will be much greater fun if she 
comes.” 

Tearing the papers up kept them quiet for 
a good half-hour, and then Jack started, first 
taking off his jacket, and making Bumps prom- 
ise on her honour not to look which way he 
went. 

She waited her ten minutes and then went 
to Jill. 

“ Jill, do come and be the other hound. Jack 


140 


Jill’s Red Bag 


has gone, and oh! he has gone through the 
thtable, I thee the paper ! ’’ 

Bumps was too excited to wait. Jill was 
lying flat on the grass and hardly turned her 
head. She murmured, ‘‘It’s too hot,” and 
went on with her writing. 

The afternoon wore on. Miss Webb was 
roused by the tea-bell and went down-stairs 
congratulating herself upon the quiet behaviour 
of the children. She found Jill deep in a story- 
book. 

“ Where are the others ? ” she asked. 

“ Paper-chasing,” said Jill. “ Aren’t they 
stupid, this hot afternoon ? ” 

“ But I hope they have not gone far ? ” 

“ I don’t know. The last time I did it, I was 
the hare, and I climbed a wall, and fell through 
a greenhouse the other side, and I was ill for 
three weeks; the gardener said I might have 
killed myself.” 

This was hardly comforting. Miss Webb 
looked anxiously out of the window. 

“If they do not come soon, we must go and 
look for them. I hope they have not gone out- 
side the grounds ! ” 

“ Oh, they mayn’t be back till bed-time,” 
said Jill. 

“ You ought not to have let Bumps go,” 


A Paper Chase 


141 


said Miss Webb sharply. She is far too 
small. You ought to have looked after her 
better!’’ 

Jill did not appear moved in the slightest. 
She ate her tea and wondered at Miss Webb’s 
concern; but as time went on, and there was 
no sign of the hare or hound, she began to 
share Miss Webb’s anxiety. 

‘‘ I’ll go and look for them.” 

Out she ran, and Annie was made to ac- 
company her. They followed the paper down 
the drive out into the road and across two fields, 
then it went through a farm-yard up into a loft, 
down again, and out at a small back gate. The 
farmer’s wife came out and said she had seen 
both the children, for Bumps had tumbled 
down in the yard and grazed her knees. 

‘‘An’ I took her in, an’ gave her a piece of 
plaster, but she were dead set on following the 
young gentleman.” 

After going up the lane and going through 
another field, Annie said she could go no fur- 
ther. 

“ ’Tis getting dark, and they’ll most like be 
home by this time. Come back, Miss Jill. 
Master Jack ought to be ashamed of himself 
leading us this chase ! ” 

So they turned back, but when they came 


142 


Jill’s Red Bag 


in they found that Miss Webb had ordered the 
gardeners and grooms all out, for they had not 
returned. 

Jill’s bed- time came. It grew quite dark, 
and then at last voices were heard in the hall 
and Miss Webb rushed out. It was Bumps in 
the arms of a big farmer. 

‘‘I found her in a ditch,” he said; “my 
mare shied as I were-a-drivin’ home, and I seed 
somethin’ white by the roadside, and then I 
seed it were a child. She have hurt her foot, 
poor little ’un. She must have failed a-tryin’ 
to get over a fence above ! ” 

“ Is she dead ? ” cried Jill, pressing forward, 
for Bumps hung a limp and apparently lifeless 
bundle over the farmer’s arm. 

“ Bless ’ee, no ! Her be faint an’ exhausted, 
but put her to bed an’ she’ll be all right in the 
mornin’. Leastwise if her foot be not in- 
jured!” 

So poor Bumps was put to bed, and her lit- 
tle swollen foot bathed and bandaged, and after 
a good deal of petting and feeding, she was 
able to look up and speak. 

“ It wath my short legs,” she said sadly, and 
somehow or other this old excuse of hers, 
which was always brought forward when she 
had failed to do what the others did, brought 


A Paper Chase 


143 


the tears as well as a smile to Miss Webb's face. 
Not a word of blame or reproach was uttered. 
But when she had dropped into a sound sleep, 
Miss Webb left her, and her thoughts were 
now centred on the missing Jack. 

The gardeners and grooms failed to trace 
him, and returned to the house between ten and 
eleven that night without having found any 
sign of him. Miss Webb passed a sleepless 
night, and early in the morning the search was 
continued. 

But Jill was the first in the field. She got 
up at six o’clock, and with determination in her 
small face, she trotted off following the paper 
track. 

Over the same ground as the day before she 
went, but now in the sunshine it was a different 
matter, and though in some places the paper 
had disappeared, her sharp eyes tracked it out 
again, and she went on with renewed vigour. 

At last she came to a standstill. The paper 
was to be seen close to a private plantation. 
And then it went no further. Jill climbed a 
low fence in spite of a board with '' Trespassers 
will be prosecuted,” and looked in every direc- 
tion for signs of more paper. But none did she 
find. 

ni go through the plantation,” she said to 


144 


JilFs Red Bag 


herself, and see where it leads, for I believe 
that Jack must have come to an end of his 
paper/’ 

She followed a little beaten track; and pres- 
ently with joy saw lying in a bush a white cot- 
ton pillow-case. It had been misising from 
Jack’s bed the night before and was the bag 
he carried his paper in. Jill took it up and 
found it — as she expected — empty. Then she 
pressed forward, and at last came to the other 
end of the plantation. A deep and rather wide 
stream ran between it and a green field, in which 
there were several horses grazing. She looked 
down at the stream, then taking off her shoes 
and stockings she boldly splashed across. She 
was in the act of putting her stockings on again, 
when a gruff voice startled her. 

“ Now here’s another of ’em ! ” 

Looking up she encountered the gaze of a 
stout, red-faced old gentleman. 

Have you seen Jack? ” she asked eagerly. 

He shook his fist at her. 

“Didn’t you see my board?” he shouted. 
“ How dare you come on in the face of it, 
and disturb my birds! If it isn’t poach- 
ers, it’s children now-a-days. I hate ’em 
both!” 

“I’m very sorry,” said Jill; “but please 


A Paper Chase 


145 


where is Jack. He has been away all night, 
and we can’t find him.” 

If that impudent boy I caught and thrashed 
yesterday was Jack, you had better follow him, 
and if you aren’t quick about it you’ll get what 
he got ! ” 

He brandished his stick so fiercely, that Jill 
fled in terror across the field. Out of a white 
gate and down a lane she ran, and never stopped 
till she reached a small cottage. Here she 
pulled up and breathlessly asked a woman if 
she had seen her brother. 

“ Were he a small boy with flannel shirt and 
trousers, and a straw hat? Then yestere’en 
’bout seven o’clock, he came runnin’ down the 
road an’ Mike the tinker were in front with his 
old cart. I seed the boy speak to ’im, and then 
up he climbed, and away they drove, and I’m 
afeered that Mike was the worse for drink.” 

Where does Mike live?” asked Jill with 
a sinking heart. 

About four mile from here, but he were 
a-goin’ on his rounds, and his next stopping- 
place was at Thornton.” 

Thornton was the nearest town. Jill knew 
it well, but it was beyond her, walking 
powers. 

‘‘ I can’t think why he hasn’t come home,” 


146 


Jill’s Red Bag 


she said half crying. I don’t know what to 
do.” 

‘^Here’s some un cornin’,” said the woman 
shading her eyes with her hand. “ ’Tis a man 
on a boss.” 

Jill looked down the road, and when the rider 
drew near, she saw to her intense delight that 
it was Sir Henry Talbot. 

He stopped his horse directly he saw her. 

‘‘What!” he said; “another of you stray- 
ing. Are you still looking for widows ? ” 

“ Oh no,” Jill cried; “ I’m looking for Jack. 
He is lost, and I’ve come out to find him, and 
a drunk tinker has driven him away I ” 

Sir Henry nodded gravely. 

“I know all about it,” he said; “I’ve sent 
Jack home in my carriage.” 

Jill’s face brightened at once. 

“ Oh, I am so glad; why didn’t he come 
home? ” 

“ He couldn’t very well. I was driving 
home last night from a dinner party between 
twelve and one, and I came upon the tinker and 
Jack under the cart and horse by the old bridge. 
It’s a wonder they hadn’t fallen into the river. 
The tinker had his ribs broken, and Jack a nasty 
cut on the head, but my housekeeper plastered 
him up, and he’s quite himself this morning. 


A Paper Chase 


H7 


What scamps you are! How are you going 
to get home? I think you had better come up 
on my horse. Hedl carry us both.’’ 

So in a very short time Jill returned tri- 
umphantly to the house riding in front of Sir 
Henry. 

Miss Webb saw them from a window and 
hurried out. 

“ How can I thank you, Sir Henry ? He 
has arrived safe and sound. I feel I shall be a 
white-haired old lady by the time Mona comes 
back. And now you’ve brought Jill home. I 
do feel so grateful.” 

“ But I haven’t been lost,” said Jill in an 
aggrieved tone. 

And then she ran indoors to find Jack. 


XI 


A DONKEY RIDE 

B oth jack and Bumps were on the sick- 
list for the next few days. Bumps 
had sprained her foot, and Jack’s cut 
on his head was a deep and painful one. 

When he recovered, he told his adventures 
to his sisters with much relish; but for once 
Jill took Bumps’ part, and told Jack he had 
treated her very badly. 

“You ought to have stopped when your 
paper came to an end, and come back to her. 
How could she follow you, especially when you 
drove in a cart? It wasn’t fair.” 

“ It was that old brute’s fault. He nearly 
broke his stick over my shoulders. I’ll pay him 
back when I get a chance. I’ve got the marks 
now. I can feel them. I couldn’t walk home, 
I was so hurt. So I told Mike to drive me into 
Thornton, and then I was going to our butcher, 
I knew he would take me home.” 

“ That was rather clever of you,” ad- 
mitted Jill, “but did you forget all about 
Bumps ? ” 

“ Oh, I knew she would never come on so 
148 


A Donkey Ride 


149 


far. If you’d been with her it would have been 
all right. And I thought you were. I told 
her to bring you; so it was really all your 
fault.” 

This was turning the tables upon Jill. 

“ I suppose,” she said slowly, I ought to 
have looked after her.” 

But Bumps breathlessly protested: 

“ I wath all right. I runned ever so fatht. 
And I thaw the paper, and never wath fright- 
ened of the cowth, and I would have catched 
him, Jill, I really would, only I couldn’t get 
over the palings, and my legs thtuck where 
they oughtn’t to, and then I tumbled on my 
head and — and ” 

Bumps came to a stop; then she added pite- 
ously, “ I’ll do better next time. Jack. I really 
will.” 

And Jack replied with a patronising air. 

Oh yes, you’ll do, when you grow bigger.” 

Mona is coming back, children,” said Miss 
Webb one morning as she opened her letters 
at the breakfast-table. She does not say 
why she is coming home so much sooner than 
she intended, but I suppose she will tell us. 
She will be here this afternoon.” 

The children were delighted. Mona was a 
constant source of interest and admiration to 


15° 


Jill’s Red Bag 


them. When she was in the house, there was a 
stir and bustle; the very servants seemed to go 
asleep in her absence. 

Miss Webb had tea out upon the lawn that 
afternoon, and when Mona arrived, she seemed 
struck with the children’s orderly dress and be- 
haviour, and the quiet peacefulness of the old 
garden. 

There is no place like home after all,” she 
said as she sat in a low wicker-chair with 
Bumps on her lap. 

Miss Webb looked at her with keen eyes. 

“ You are tired and worried about some- 
thing,” she said. '' Didn’t you enjoy your 
visit ? ” 

‘‘ Very much till yesterday,” and Mona gave 
a little shiver. Then she bent her lips, and 
touched Bumps’ golden head with them caress- 
ingly. 

“ I had a full programme,” she said with a 
little laugh. The Tambourne Races to-day, 
the Regatta to-morrow, and Lady Donald’s 
ball next Monday, followed by her village the- 
atricals and concert. There was an awfully 
nice girl staying with us. Maud Crichton was 
her name. She used to come into my room 
every night to have a chat, and I was going to 
bring her back here to stay with me. She was 


A Donkey Ride 


151 


rather seedy a few days ago, and we thought 
it a heavy cold. Only last night she was sitting 
up with me, and though her head was very bad, 
we were making wonderful plans. This morn- 
ing she was covered with a thick rash. I heard 
she had almost been light-headed in the night. 
The doctor came and pronounced it scarlet 
fever. Of course there was a general stampede. 
Tm terrified lest she should have infected me. 
What do you think, Miss Webb?’’ 

Miss Webb looked grave, then quietly took 
Bumps off Mona’s lap and sent her indoors, 
telling the others to follow. 

“ You don’t think of the children,” she said 
a little reproachfully. 

"'The children? Good gracious! You’re 
taking it for granted I am going to get it! 
Why,. Miss Webb, it drives me frantic to think 
I may! What can I do? Shall I send for a 
doctor for some preventive ? ” 

Miss Webb saw the girl was thoroughly 
frightened and unstrung, so she spoke very 
quietly. 

"You are not a weak, hysterical girl, Mona. 
Do for pity’s sake control yourself. It is not 
very likely you will take it; but if you did, there 
are many things worse than scarlet fever. 
What makes you so frightened?” 


152 


Jill’s Red Bag 


Oh/' said Mona, covering her face with her 
hands, “ I might die. It is so awful to think 
about it. And wasn’t it strange. Miss Webb, 
we had a sermon last Sunday with the grue- 
some text: ^Prepare to meet thy God.’ Now 
don’t let us talk any more about it. Give me 
another cup of tea. I call it ridiculous to send 
the children away.” 

Mona pulled herself together with an effort. 
After that one revelation of her frightened soul, 
she did not touch upon the subject again, but 
Miss Webb watched her anxiously, and would 
not let the children be much with her. A week 
afterwards, Mona was taken ill with the dis- 
ease she so much dreaded. Her extreme nerv- 
ousness about herself did not help her. Miss 
Webb promptly telegraphed to Miss Falkner 
— “ Scarlet fever in house. Can you take chil- 
dren to seaside? ” 

And though Miss Falkner had only had a 
month’s holiday, instead of six weeks, she re- 
plied at once — 

Certainly, will return to-morrow.” 

'Ht’s rather exciting!” said Jack to Jill as 
they stood at the school-room window watch- 
ing for the arrival of their governess. I don’t 
want Mona to be ill, but I’m jolly glad we’re 
going to the seaside.” 


A Donkey Ride 


153 


“ I’m glad Miss Falkner is coming with us, 
but I rather think I’d like to have scarlet fever. 
It must be so nice to have the doctor and a 
nurse, and jellies and beef-tea, and everybody 
fussing over you.” 

The arrival of the carriage stopped further 
discussion, and in another moment all three 
children were flinging themselves upon their 
governess, nearly choking her with their eager 
embraces. 

They went the next day to a small seaside 
place about three miles from Chilton Common. 
There was a nice sandy beach, a row of lodg- 
ing-houses, a stone pier and fishing-wharf ; and 
the children were perfectly content with their 
lot. Annie came with them, and their landlady 
knew them well, for it was not the first time 
they had been there. 

Miss Falkner, can’t we go and see Chilton 
Common one day? ” asked Jill, soon after they 
had arrived. 

‘‘Why, you funny child!” said Miss Falk- 
ner, smiling. “ The only reason you liked to 
go to Chilton Common was because you could 
see the sea in the distance; and now you are 
actually at the sea, you want to go to the Com- 
mon.” 

“ Ah ! ” said Jill, “ but I want to find the 


154 


Jill’s Red Bag 


place where our mission-room is going to 
be.” 

I forgot that,” admitted Miss Falkner. 
“ But it is too far for you to walk, Jill. We 
must wait till we get home, I think, and then 
we can drive there.” 

So Jill tried to be patient, and she was very 
fond of mounting a small hill close to the town 
where she could get a fine view of the Com- 
mon, and one day Miss Falkner found her 
there, shaking her red bag wildly in the air 
at it. 

“ There ! ” she was saying, do you see the 
place you are going to build upon ! The fatter 
you get, the better for Chilton Common ! ” 
They heard from Miss Webb, but her let- 
ters always smelt of carbolic, and Miss Falkner 
burnt them directly she had read them. Mona 
was very ill, and one morning Miss Falkner 
got a letter that rather startled her. It was as 
usual from Miss Webb. 

“ Dear Miss Falkner, 

“ I remember you told me that you were 
not afraid of scarlet fever, having had it a few 
years ago. Would you be afraid of coming to 
Mona? She is crying out for you incessantly 
day and night, and I do not think it is mere 


A Donkey Ride 


155 


delirium. She says you would help her to 
get well, and the poor girl seems in terror lest 
she should not do so. Dr. Forbes says if her 
mind could be eased, there would be more 
chance of her recovery. Leave the children 
with Annie. I am sure they will be good when 
they know that Mona needs you. And nothing 
seems to matter in comparison with Mona’s 
life. If you feel you can come, come at once.” 

Miss Falkner went straight to her room and 
put up a few things in a portmanteau. She 
called Jill to her, and told her about the letter. 

‘‘ I am going to trust you, Jill, to keep the 
others out of mischief, and ask God, dear, to 
make your sister better, if it is His will.” 

Jill looked rather blank at the news. 

“ You are always leaving us now,” she said; 
and Jack won’t do what I tell him. He never 
would. Mona has got Miss Webb, she doesn’t 
want you too ! ” 

This was much Annie’s opinion. 

Miss Baron doesn’t ever think of anybody 
but herself,” she confided to Mrs. Pratt the 
landlady. If she took a fancy to see one of 
the children she’d never think of the risk to 
them, but she’d insist upon them coming to her. 
She’s a nice young lady to speak to, but she’s 


156 


Jill’s Red Bag 


always had her own way, and poor Miss Falk- 
ner must go to help nurse her now ! ” 

When Miss Falkner came softly into the 
sick-room, she was shocked at the change in 
Mona. 

She lay with crimson cheeks and parched 
dry lips upon her pillows, restlessly turning 
her head to and fro; her beautiful hair had all 
been cut off; her eyes were thick and vacant; 
her voice husky and indistinct. 

A gleam of recognition lit up her face as 
Miss Falkner stooped over her and spoke to 
her. 

“Is it Miss Falkner? You are good, you 
know how to pray. I am not ready to die. 
Pray for me. It is cruel to take my life so 
soon, and he will keep preaching ‘ Prepare to 
meet Thy God.’ Do stop him. Of course it is 
Cecil Arnold; I laughed at him, but I knew I 
was wrong and he was right. I can’t prepare. 
I don’t know how to. And why should I give 
up a tenth of my money — even little Jill is 
laughing at me — she and Cecil Arnold putting 
their heads together, and he won’t look at me, 
he doesn’t care for me any more. Oh, if only 
3^ou will help me ! ” 

This and much more in the same strain she 
poured forth. 


A Donkey Ride 


157 


Miss Falkner soothed her for the time, and 
the next day when she was lying weak and ex- 
hausted, but fully conscious, she spoke again. 

Do you think I shall get over this. Miss 
Falkner!^’ 

I think — I hope you will,” said Miss Falk- 
ner brightly. I am praying that you may.” 

‘‘ I know I have lived only for pleasure, but 
if, oh, if God spares my life, I will give Him 
some of my money. It has worried me so. 
Even the children are giving now more than 
I do.” 

There is something God wants more than 
your money,” said Miss Falkner gently. “ It 
is of more value to Him than that.” 

‘‘ What is it ? Oh, if I get well I will give 
it. Life is everything to me.” 

‘‘ It is your soul.” 

The words were spoken in a soft whisper, 
and there was silence in the room for some 
time after that. 

At last Mona put her wasted hand out. 

I will give it to Him, if He spares my 
life.” 

^ Jk 5jc J|c ^ 

''Jack, Mona is going to get well. Miss 

Webb has written to tell us so. Oh, do let 
us do something jolly to-day.’^ 


158 


Jill’s Red Bag 


“ We’ll have a donkey ride. There’s a man 
just come along the road with four of them. 
Come on!” 

But, alas ! When purses were produced, only 
eightpence could be collected, and the donkey 
man shook his head. 

‘‘ I wish,” said Jack discontentedly, “ that 
we needn’t always be giving to the Bag.” 

Jill got hot and indignant at once. 

You greedy, wicked boy, after your vow 
too. Remember Ananias and Sapphira I ” 

“ But they took the money; I haven’t.” 

No, but you’re almost wishing to! ” 

‘‘ I’m not,” said Jack sullenly. 

‘‘ What’s the matter, my boy ? ” asked an 
old lady, who was sitting on a sheltered seat 
on the beach, and who had overheard a part 
of this conversation. 

We want a donkey ride,” said Jack bluntly; 
and we haven’t got enough money.” 

The old lady quietly drew out a rusty black 
bag from her pocket. 

“ I used to like donkey rides when I was a 
little girl,” she said, “ so I’ll treat you to one. 
Where would you like to go ? ” 

The children could hardly believe their ears. 
But Jill’s one thought came uppermost at 
once. 


A Donkey Ride 


159 


“ To Chilton Common,” she said. Oh ! 
we should love to go there.” 

The old lady spoke to the man. 

“Where is your nurse?” she said. “Will 
she like you to go so far?” 

“ Oh, Annie won't mind. We always play 
out here till dinner-time.” 

So in a few minutes, four donkeys were go- 
ing at a steady trot towards Chilton Common; 
the man himself riding on one of them. It 
seemed a long way to the children, but Jill en- 
livened the way by telling the man about their 
tenth bag, and the room that they hoped to 
build on the Common. 

“ You might help if you like,” she suggested. 
“You could give a tenth out of what the lady 
is going to give you this morning. It’s going 
to be a tenth room or church, because it’s going 
to be built out of our tenths.” 

“ Don’t believe in parsons or churches,” said 
the man emphatically. 

“ Do you mean you don’t like them ? ” ques- 
tioned Jill. “ Don’t you go to church your- 
self?” 

“ Never been inside a church since I were a 
Sunday-school brat.” 

“ Oh ! that sounds dreadful ! ” said Jill, eye- 
ing him with severity. 


i6o 


Jill’s Red Bag 


“ Fact ! ” said the donkey man, giving Jill’s 
donkey a vicious whack with his stick, and 
making her start off at a gallop. But Jill could 
stick to her donkey and to her point at the 
same time. 

“ Well, if you don’t want to go to church, 
other people do ; and they can’t do it on Chilton 
Common. You wait till we get there, and 
then you will see what it is like ! And I’m sure 
you would like to give God some of your 
money, wouldn’t you? You must get a lot of 
money by your donkeys. Everybody likes to 
ride on donkeys ! ” 

“ I’m a poor man, an’ has a hard job to get 
my vittles,” was the response. ‘‘ Let rich folk 
build churches and such like. Let ’em throw 
away their money on such foolery, but a hard- 
workin’ man has better to do with his’n.” 

“But,” argued Jill, who from her long dis- 
cussion with Sam was quite prepared for these 
sentiments, “ you aren’t as poor as we are. If 
no one gives me a present I get threepence a 
week, but it doesn’t matter how little you have, 
the first ten pennies you get, you put one aside 
for God. Now do, won’t you? You really 
ought to, for God gives you your donkeys and 
your money. Supposing if your donkeys broke 
their legs, or you broke yours! Then you 


A Donkey Ride 


i6i 


wouldn’t be able to get any money. And if God 
takes care of you and your donkeys every day, 
I expect He’s very disappointed that you don’t 
give Him a little money ! ” 

This and much more Jill eagerly poured 
forth, and at last her driver took refuge in 
silent chuckles and shakes of his head. He 
would not be drawn out any more. They ar- 
rived in due time on the Common. It was a 
lovely day^ and a few women came out on their 
doorsteps to watch the little cavalcade. 

The children dismounted, and began ear- 
nestly disputing about the best site for the mis- 
sion-room. Jill took into her confidence one 
of the women who seemed greatly in- 
terested. 

‘‘ You see,” she said, ‘‘ Mr. Errington and 
us are going to build a church here when we 
can get enough money. Where would you like 
it put ? ” 

‘‘ We bain’t church-goers,” said the woman 
laughing. 

“ No, but you will be when you get a 
church.” 

“ Now,” said the donkey man, getting bolder 
when he saw he would be supported by a ma- 
jority; '‘ will ’ee tell us, little miss, what good 
a church does ’ee?’’ 


i 62 


Jill’s Red Bag 


He raised his voice, and several lads and 
women drew near to listen. 

Jill climbed back on her donkey. She did 
not like the look of the rough boys, but she 
bravely held her ground. 

It’s a place where you can hear about 
Jesus,” she said reverently, ‘‘ and where you 
can ask Him what you want. Miss Falkner 
says He is always there to meet you.” 

‘‘ And what good do He do ? ” asked a lad 
with a mocking laugh. 

“ He helps you to set out, and keep on going 
to the Golden City,” said Jill, looking at him 
with shocked disapproval. You wait till you 
get your church, and Mr. Errington comes out 
to tell you all about it. You’ll wish when you 
hear about it, that you’d been told hundreds of 
years ago ! ” 

There was loud laughter, but one of the 
women came forward and looked at Jill some- 
what wistfully. 

Your Golden City reminds me of a hymn I 
used to sing in Sunday school,” she said. “ It 
began, ‘ Jeroos’lem the golden ’ ! ” 

“ Yes, I know it,” said Jill, nodding; and 
when you get your church I’ll ask Mr. Erring- 
ton to let you have that hymn every Sunday if 
you like.” 


A Donkey Ride 


163 


‘‘ Shall we have hymn singin’ ? ’’ questioned 
a boy, with a white face and dark shock of 
hair. Who’ll do the moosic ? ” 

“ Mr. Errington will do it all” said Jill with 
proud emphasis. “ And when the church is 
open, I shall come over, and Jack, and Bumps, 
and Miss Falkner. And we’ll be in our Sun- 
day clothes, and you will be in yours, and the 
church will be crammed! And there’ll be lots 
of music and singing, and we shall all enjoy it 
awfully ! And after it’s over ” — here her imag- 
ination ran away with her — “we’ll all shake 
hands, and say how glad we are, and then we’ll 
have flags waving and bells ringing, and a 
lovely tea which we’ll sit down to all together, 
with cakes and buns, and tea in urns, like a 
school feast ! ” 

Jack, who had been listening in silence, broke 
in now with enthusiasm. 

“ And then we’ll have three cheers for the 
King, and three cheers for Mr. Errington, and 
three cheers for our red bag that got the money, 
and we’ll finish up with a bonfire and fire- 
works ! ” 

Jill pulled out her red bag which she had 
stufifed into her pocket, and wildly waved it in 
the air. 

“ Hurray for Chilton Common Church ! ” 


164 


Jill’s Red Bag 


she cried, and the children and rough lads 
round joined in her cheer with a hearty good- 
will. 

‘‘ Now,’' she said, relapsing from enthusiasm 
to business, “where would you like us to build 
it? ” 

There was a little silence. Some of the 
women went indoors. The group thinned. Jack 
looked round wisely. 

“ I think we’ll let Mr. Errington choose the 
place,” he said. “ Tm sure it’s time to go 
back.” 

“ Well,” said Jill, turning to the blacksmith, 
who had left his forge and had come out to 
know what the cheers were about, “ I’ve told 
you what is going to happen, and if you like to 
give a tenth of your money and give it to God, 
I will take it and put it in my red bag and give 
it to Mr. Errington.” 

The blacksmith put his hand in his pocket 
and brought out sixpence. 

“ There be my mite towards it,” he said. “ I 
always did say a parson up here would be the 
thing!” 

Jill thanked him profusely, dropped the six- 
pence in her bag, and the children rode away, 
followed for a short distance by a screaming 
crowd of small boys and girls. 


XII 


THE BISHOP AND THE GEESE 

W HEN they reached the beach again 
the old lady was just in the act 
of departing for her lunch. She 
cheerfully paid the donkey man, but Jill was 
watching the transaction anxiously, and pur- 
sued the man to the end of the beach, where she 
held an earnest conversation with him. 

“Jill is trying to make him give up his 
tenth,’’ said Jack confidentially to the old lady. 
“ I don’t think she’ll do it.” 

“ What do you mean, child ? ” 

Explanation followed, and with Bumps’ 
eager and breathless interruptions, the old lady 
got quite mystified. 

“ Why do you keep talking about a tenth ? ” 
she said. 

“ Because it’s a tenth that God expects from 
everybody,” said Jack. “ I suppose you give 
yours to somebody to look after, don’t you?” 

“ I don’t give a tenth of my money away at 
all,” said the lady snappishly. “ That is an old 
Jewish law. Thank goodness, we are not Jews, 
but Christians.” 


165 


Jill’s Red Bag 


1 66 


'' But Miss Falkner told us it wasn’t only 
meant for Jews,” argued Jack. “ She says 
everybody who gets money from God ought to 
give back some to Him.” 

Yeth,” nodded Bumps; ‘‘and becauth we 
can’t send it up to heaven, Miss Falkner thaid 
we could thpend it on good things for God 
down on the earth, and we would be very happy 
if you gave us your money for our bag, 
wouldn’t we. Jack ? ” 

Jack was not a good beggar. He got hot 
and red. 

“ We don’t ask people for money,” he said; 
“ but if they like to give us their tenth we 
should be pleased.” 

“ Jill asks,” said Bumps. “ She asks every- 
body!” 

“ Oh, dear ! ” said the old lady, “ here she 
comes running back! I must go. There, my 
boy, there’s a coin for your bag ! ” 

She put a sovereign into Jack’s hand. 

“Is it your tenth? ” he asked wonderingly; 
“ what a lot of money you must have ! Thank 
you very much ! ” 

But the old lady was gone, and strangely 
enough the children never saw her again. 

“ Have you got any money from the donkey 
man ? ” asked Jack. 


The Bishop and the Geese 


167 


'' Yes ” said Jill in quiet triumph. “ He 
gave me sixpence. I don't know whether it 
was quite a tenth, but he seemed very pleased 
to do it — at least he got pleased. He said he 
had never done such a good thing in his life, 
and he hoped that it would be remembered. I 
told him God wouldn’t forget it, for He can’t 
forget anything. And he told me he only lives 
a mile from Chilton Common, and when the 
church is built I’m to let him know, and he 
will come and see it. He’s a nice man ! ” 

Then Jack opened his hand, and let her see 
what he had got. Jill screamed in ecstacy; 
the red bag was produced, and when both coins 
were safely deposited, they ran indoors to their 
dinner, feeling they had had an eventful morn- 
ing. 

The days passed slowly. There were days 
when everything went wrong, when Jill, as 
well as Jack and Bumps, was seized with the 
spirit of mischief and naughtiness. She was 
very repentant when the day was over, but 
Annie did not understand her moods, and was 
not so long-suffering as Miss Falkner. 

It’s no good leading me such a life all day, 
and then thinking you make it all right by say- 
ing you’re sorry,” she said with great severity. 
“ You’re all talk. Miss Jill ! pretending to be 


i68 


Jill’s Red Bag 


so good with your bag of money, and making 
Miss Bumps as wicked as yourself when you 
choose ! I’ve no belief in them that talks good, 
and acts wicked ! ” 

Jill’s passionate temper was aroused at once. 

'' I don’t pretend, and I don’t talk good ! 
And I hate you, Annie! It’s you that make 
us wicked ! Miss Falkner never does ! I’ll run 
away, and go straight home, and catch the scar- 
let fever I I won’t stay with you ! ” 

Annie laughed scornfully. 

‘‘Words again! You want a piece clipped 
out of your saucy tongue. Miss Jill ! ” 

Jill was sitting up in bed. With all her 
strength she flung her pillow in Annie’s face. 

Annie caught it, and marched out of the 
room with it. 

“You naughty, impudent child! I shall 
take it right away to punish you. You can 
sleep without it to-night ! ” 

Jill buried her burning cheeks in her bolster, 
and began to cry. 

Bumps sat up and ruefully regarded her. 

“ Never mind, Jill. Annie is horrid. Oh, 
pleath don’t cry ! ” 

“ It’s no good,” sobbed poor Jill. “ Annie 
doesn’t mean me to finish off being wicked. 
She tries to make me go on for ever. Nobody 


The Bishop and the Geese 


169 


understands but Miss Falkner. It’s no use to 
try to be good again. I shall have to go on 
being in disgrace. I’ve gone miles away from 
my path to the Golden City to-day, and just 
when I’m trying to find my way back again, 
Annie pushes me away. I shall give it up 
altogether. I shall throw my red bag in the 
sea to-morrow, and shall give no more tenths 
to God. I shall be as wicked as I possibly 
can. I’m meant to be wicked ! ” 

Oh, dear ! ” sighed Bumps, in despair. 

You do want Miss Falkner, Jill.” 

Of course I do,” said Jill, angrily. “How 
can I be good without her ? ” 

“ I wonder,” said Bumps, “if God would do 
instead ! ” 

There was silence. Bumps sometimes — 
baby though she was — had the rare faculty of 
hitting the nail straight on the head. 

Jill stopped her weeping and began to think. 

“I think,” she said, after a few minutes’ 
silence, “ I’ll just tell God all about it. I’d like 
to tell Him how nasty Annie is ! ” 

Better thoughts soon stole into her angry lit- 
tle heart. 

“There’s one thing,” she said presently, 
startling Bumps out of her first sleep; “God 
knows the proper truth about me. He knows 


170 


Jill’s Red Bag 


I am sorry that I was tiresome to-day ! Annie 
doesn’t believe me, but He will. And He knows 
I don’t pretend to be good ! ” 

“ Yeth,” assented Bumps, drowsily; ‘‘He 
knowth it ! ” 

Jill dropped asleep comforted. 

The long time was over at last. Mona re- 
covered and went away for change of air; the 
house was cleaned and re-papered, and one day 
Miss Falkner arrived to take them home. 

“ We almost like lessons now,” said Jack. 
“ We’ve had such long holidays.” 

But when lessons began the children found 
them irksome. They had become thoroughly 
unsettled, and accustomed to careless, unpunc- 
tual ways. Miss Falkner’s regular routine 
fretted and chafed them. She found she 
needed all her patience to bring them and keep 
them under her control. 

“ I think,” Jill said to Jack, one day, and 
her face was thoughtful as she spoke, “ that 
no one can be properly good till they are 
twenty. I wonder how old Miss Falkner is.” 

“ She’s just as old as Mona,” said Jack. “ I 
heard Mona tell Miss Webb so.” 

“ How funny ! But she’s not a bit like 
Mona.” 

“ No. Miss Webb said to Mona when she 


The Bishop and the Geese 171 


told her, ^ You are a child beside her, Mona/ 
Now, what did she mean by that? ’’ 

Jill pondered. 

Miss Falkner looks older. And I ex- 
pect being good makes you old. Miss Falkner 
is very good. Fm sure when I try to be very 
good, and make you and Bumps good too, I 
feel — I feel a hundred years old ! ’ 

“ I don’t think children are meant to be very 
good,” said Jack. “ People always talk of us 
as if we’re wicked. P’raps we ought to be 
good on Sundays.” 

If we’re walking to the Golden City, we 
ought to be good every day,” said Jill de- 
cidedly. 

Jack shook his curly head. 

“ I’ve thought of a lovely game Pm going 
to make Bumps play at.” 

“ What? ” asked Jill in an eager tone. 

“ Why you know the story that comes in our 
reading-books about the geese who saved Rome 
by cackling when the enemy was creeping up. 
I’m going to be the enemy, and Bumps and you 
must be asleep.” 

But where?” asked Jill. “ It was on the 
top of a high hill.” 

‘"Yes,” nodded Jack; ‘^but I’ve thought it 
out. There’s the church tower. We’ll do it 


1/2 


Jiirs Red Bag 


to-morrow afternoon, and we’ll take the geese 
up first.” 

That will be splendid,” said Jill ; “ only 
how will you do it ? Remember the swans ! I 
think if we can get hold of their food, and hold 
it out to them, they’ll follow us, but how will 
you climb up to the tower? ” 

‘‘ Tom Sanders has done it. He told me he 
did, and I’m longing to try. You climb the 
yew tree first, and then get on to the ivy. Then 
you get in at the belfry window. He got out 
again and went up by the lightning-conductor, 
but I thought the geese would see me climb- 
ing in at the window and then they’ll cackle — 
and of course I shan’t be able to come on any 
further.” 

“ But supposing they don’t cackle ? ” 

Well, that’s the game — to see if they do ! 
If they don’t, I shall know Roman history tells 
lies. Because, of course, these geese are just 
the same as those were.” 

‘‘These are English geese!” Jill said 
doubtfully. 

Jack was undaunted. He was a true little 
Briton. 

“Then they must be better than Roman 
geese, and they’ll cackle twice as loud, and.be 
double as fierce 1 ” 


The Bishop and the Geese 


173 


So the next afternoon when lessons were 
over, instead of playing in the garden, the 
three children stole quietly off to the farm- 
yard. 

The prospect was so exciting that even Jill 
had no qualms of conscience. Jack had per- 
suaded one of the farm lads who looked after 
the geese to save him a dish of their food. 
Armed with a big dish he boldly went up to the 
biggest gander, who greedily put his head into 
it at once. It was the signal for all the others 
to follow suit. Then Jack, holding the dish, 
ran out of th^ farmyard; and to the children’s 
delight, away strode the flock of geese after 
him, stretching out their necks and shrieking 
in protest. Jill and Bumps followed behind 
with switches to drive them along. Unfortu- 
nately, the fowls joined the chase, and two 
small black pigs escaped out of the yard and 
with squeals of delight raced into the flower- 
garden. Out into the lane the little procession 
went, and the geese behaved very well. Occa- 
sionally one or two would dive into a ditch 
after frogs, which delayed progress, but with 
Jill and Bumps chasing them behind, and Jack 
enticing them in front, they at last reached 
the churchyard, which was not very far away. 
The door of the tower was found open, and the 


174 


Jill’s Red Bag 


geese were with a little difficulty driven in. 
But when Jill turned and shut the door a pan- 
demonium ensued. The frightened birds 
screamed, and beat their wings against each 
other. As to making them mount the spiral 
stone steps, it seemed an impossibility. When 
Jack caught hold of the gander and tried to 
hoist him up, he turned and pecked at his hand 
so viciously that it began to bleed. Bumps got 
frightened, and crept into an empty oak chest. 
Jill coaxed and beat the birds by turns, and 
geese and children shrieked at the top of their 
voices, till the old tower echoed and re-echoed 
with the noise. 

But Jack and Jill never gave up any cher- 
ished plan very easily. 

By perseverance, and with much toil and 
persuasion, they got two young geese to the 
top. Their wings were strong and they flew 
most of the way. With these two birds they 
were forced to be content. Poor Bumps was 
forgotten, and the gander and his tribe were so 
furious at being entrapped in such a manner, 
that they shrieked and fought like furies. 
Bumps felt if she showed herself amongst them 
she would literally be torn to pieces, so she lay 
still in her chest, her little heart panting and 
throbbing with fright. 


The Bishop and the Geese 


^75 


Presently she heard voices in the church, and 
in a few minutes the belfry door was flung 
open. 

Mr. Errington had been entertaining his 
bishop that day, and had brought him and a 
party of ladies to look at a beautiful old 
screen in the church. Their consternation and 
amazement was considerable when the flock of 
angry geese confronted them. The ladies beat 
a hasty retreat behind the yew tree, and the 
bishop spoke sternly to the vicar, though there 
was a twinkle in his eye. 

‘‘ Is this usual, Errington ? Is the belfry 
your poultry-yard ? ” 

And poor Mr. Errington was so utterly 
astonished that he could not utter a sound. 

Away waddled the geese down the church- 
yard path, and then Bumps lifted up her voice, 
and her little body too, thereby causing a 
second alarm. 

Pleath it’s only me,” she explained, climb- 
ing out of her retreat. “ The geeth were so 
angry, I wath quite frightened ! ” 

“Are you a little goose girl?” asked the 
bishop, bending over her, and putting his hand 
under her chin. 

“ No,” said Bumps, feeling distinctly 
3^g‘gi’ieved j Prn not a gooth at all. It s a 


176 


JilFs Red Bag 


game, only the thtupid geeth won’t play prop- 
erly!” 

“ I am afraid my lord,” said Mr. Errington, 
recovering his presence of mind, that some 
young people have been making free of this 
belfry without my knowledge.” 

Then turning to Bumps he said, Where 
are your brother and sister? I fancy they are 
the culprits.” 

‘‘ They’re upstairs,” said Bumps, tears fill- 
ing her blue eyes, which she vainly struggled 
to keep back. They’re playing the game 
without me. They always does when I get left 
behind. The geeth wouldn’t go up-stairs, but 
Jack and Jill made two of them go.” 

‘‘ And what game are you playing? ” asked 
the bishop gently. 

“ It’s something about Rome and geeth that 
have to cackle, and an enemy. Jack is the 
enemy ; he is climbing up outthide, and the top 
is Rome, and the geeth have to wake Jill and 
me up. But I’ve never been athleep, and it’s 
all no good I ” 

Tears dropped on her white pinafore. 

The bishop looked more amused than angry. 
He turned to Mr. Errington — 

“They say that some of our churches lead 
to Rome, Errington, but these youngsters have 


The Bishop and the Geese 


177 


been early in discovering it. I should like to 
go up to Rome, I think. Will you lead the 
way? ” 

So Mr. Errington obeyed, and the ladies 
rustled after them, taking Bumps with them. 
When they came out on top, two geese were 
being held down forcibly by a very hot and 
dirty little boy and girl. 

Stop your cackling, you brutes ! Jacl^ 
was screaming. I want you to stop till X 
come up ! They’re no good, Jill, if they go on 
like this, and they’ll be flying over the tower 
next. What shall we do? Let us tie their 
legs!” 

‘7ack!” 

Mr. Errington’s tone was so sternly indig- 
nant that the boy started and let go of his 
goose, which flew frantically between the 
bishop’s legs, knocked Bumps down, and finally 
took a header down the the belfry stairs. 

‘"What do you mean by this? How dare 
you use this church for such a purpose? 
Isn’t your garden large enough for your 
games ? ” 

We haven’t got a tower,” mumbled Jack. 

Jill broke in eagerly, Please Mr. Errington 
'don’t be angry. We haven’t been into the 
church. We wouldn’t think of playing games 


178 


Jill’s Red Bag 


in there. We didn’t think you’d mind up here, 
and it is a history game.” 

“ It seems to me,” said the bishop, looking 
at Mr. Errington with a twinkle in his eye, 
‘' that you have some scamps amongst your 
parishioners as well as examples. I have been 
hearing ” — here the bishop turned to Jack and 
Jill — " of some good little children that I think 
you would do well to imitate. You might ex- 
pend some of your superfluous zeal on follow- 
ing their example. These children are steadily 
putting by a tenth of all their money, and per- 
suading many of their friends to do the same, 
with the object of building a mission-room in 
a neglected neighbourhood ! ” 

Jack and Jill looked at the bishop with open 
eyes and mouth. 

" But that’s us! ” gasped Jill. 

There was a moment’s silence. Then the 
bishop’s sense of humour overcame him and he 
laughed loud, the ladies joining him, only Mr. 
Errington preserving his gravity. 

As he descended the stairs again, he said to 
the vicar, " One lives and learns, Errington. 
I had forgotten the complex natures of chil- 
dren.” 


XIII 


MONADS TENTH 

I T seemed a long time to the children before 
Mona returned, and their first sight of 
her was a distinct shock to them. 

She came back with a closely-cropped head, 
and a white face, looking so fragile that Bumps 
confided to Jack that she thought Mona must 
be nearly dying.'’ 

But her voice and laugh reassured them. 
They wondered when they saw her kiss Miss 
Falkner. 

“ Do you like her very much ? " asked 
Jack. 

Very much," said Mona promptly. ‘‘ She 
came to me when I wanted her, and it was 
through her that I got well again ! " 

‘‘ But hadn't you any doctors ? " 

‘‘ Miss Falkner was my doctor." 

This sounded puzzling, but Mona astonished 
them still more by things she said and did. 
She came into the school-room while the Bible- 
reading was going on and asked Miss Falkner 
questions about it, as if she were one of her 
pupils. She started having family prayers; 


179 


i8o 


Jill’s Red Bag 


and then one afternoon Jill found her tres- 
passing again in the vicinity of “ Bethel/^ 

‘‘ I think I must join your Tenth Society, 
Jill. Tell me what you do/’ 

Jill’s face flushed crimson with delight. 

“Will you ? Do you mean it really ? And 
will you put your tenth into the red bag? ” 

Mona appeared to be considering. 

“ My tenth will be a big affair by the side 
of yours, Jill. What does the red bag do with 
your money ? ” 

“ I take it to Mr. Errington every fortnight. 
He keeps the money. It’s for Chilton Com- 
mon, you know. They do want a church there 
dreadfully.” 

“ I think I must have a little talk with Mr. 
Errington about it.” 

“ But you will help us to fill our bag, won’t 
you? ” 

“ I dare say I shall.” 

Mona was looking away through the pines 
rather dreamily as she spoke. Jill brought her 
back to the subject in hand. 

“And will you join us now? Properly? 
You will, won’t you? And say the vow by 
our stones like Jacob? Let me just go and tell 
Jack and Bumps. They would love to hear 
you.” 


Mona’s Tenth 


i8i 


But Mona caught hold of her as she was 
flying off. 

“ No, Jill. Grown-up people have different 
ways to children. It isn't a game to me, and 
it means a great deal more than you could im- 
agine. But I like your quaint idea of raising 
a little Bethel under the pines here, and if you 
leave me quite alone, I will take the vow in the 
same place that you did. More you cannot 
expect from me.” 

But somebody ought to hear you,” ob- 
jected Jill. “I am sure it’s more proper to 
have people looking on.” 

“ God will hear me. Did Jacob have people 
near him ? ” 

Jill was speechless. Then obediently she 
walked away, and waited for her sister at the 
entrance to the wood. When Mona joined 
her there was a soft radiancy about her face 
that made her look very beautiful. 

Oh, Jill,” she said, '' a tenth seems such a 
miserable portion to offer back. How shall I 
ever pay the debt of all the past wasted 
years ? ” 

And when will you divide your money ? ” 
asked Jill. “ Do let me see you do it. And if 
it’s too difficult, Miss Falkner is very good at 
sums. She’ll do it for you.” 


i 82 


Jill’s Red Bag 


‘‘ I shall go and see Mr. Errington this after- 
noon. You must be patient, Jill. All in good 
time.” 

The next day the children were walking out 
in the village with Miss Falkner when they 
met the vicar. 

He beamed when he saw them. 

‘‘ Have you heard the good news ? ” he said. 
“ Miss Baron did not bind me to secrecy. Per- 
haps she has told you herself ? ” 

‘‘ I think I know,” said Jill, nodding wisely. 

‘‘ I have written to a builder, an old friend 
of mine, and asked him to come over at once 
and talk it out with me. Now the money is 
forthcoming we shall soon have the mission- 
room.” 

What ! ” cried Jill. ‘‘ Have you got 
enough money to build it ? ” 

Indeed I have. And we’ll have it up in no 
time.” 

“ I wonder how the people will like it,” said 
Miss Falkner meditatively. 

Mr. Errington looked quickly at her. 

A month ago I should have had heart- 
sinkings on that point. But I assure you it is 
their chief topic at present when I go over to 
them. I fancy sometimes they expect it to 
bring to them more temporal than spiritual 


Mona’s Tenth 


^^3 


food; but it is owing to a visit from these 
small people that their antagonism has van- 
ished/' 

But who — how have you got the money, 
Mr. Errington?” inquired Jack. 

'' Ask your sister. She may enlighten you." 
“ It is Mona’s tenth ! ’’ exclaimed Jill, caper- 
ing up and down in delight. How soon will 
it be built, Mr. Errington, next week? ’’ 

Mr. Errington laughed as he went his way. 

Oh, you young people ! So hot and im- 
patient, so quick to resolve and carry out. I 
wish I could instill some of your spirits into 
the sluggish natures that I have to deal with ! ’’ 
The children could do little else but talk of 
Chilton Common all that day. 

“ And now," said Jack, “ if all the money 
is got for the church, where is our tenth money 
to go to? " 

I think it will be some time before every- 
thing will be bought," said Miss Falkner. 
‘‘ You must remember there will be lots of 
things wanted inside the mission-room; seats 
— hassocks, perhaps — lamps, and all kinds of 
other articles. Mr. Errington will like to get 
your money for some time to come, I am sure." 

And there are always the heathen to send 
it to," said Jill. They never come to an end, 


184 


Jill’s Red Bag 


do they, Miss Faulkner? You send your 
money to them always, don’t you ? ” 

“ Yes,” Miss Falkner replied. I feel more 
drawn towards them. At home here in Eng- 
land there are so many to teach and help the 
ignorant ones. Out abroad there are millions 
still out of reach of help and Christianity.” 

Jill looked grave. 

“ And how much money does it take exactly 
to make a heathen a Christian, Miss Falkner? ” 
Miss Falkner smiled. 

I can’t tell you, Jill. There is the cost of 
a missionary going out; he or she are the 
means, with God’s help, of converting a 
heathen. But every little helps.” 

‘‘ Mr. Errington says the Chilton Common 
people are heathen ! ” 

Yes, dear, he means they are living with- 
out any thought of God.” 

But we did that before you came to us. 
Really and truly. Miss Falkner, we never 
thought about God at all. And Fm afraid I 
didn’t want to. You see no one had told us 
about the Golden City. And I didn’t know 
that Jesus loved us so, and would help us, and 
keep on forgiving us.” 

Jill’s face was earnest and sweet. Her 
governess stooped and kissed her. 


Mona’s Tenth 


i8s 


“ But you know about it now, dear, and 
you must try to help others who are still 
ignorant.’’ 

Jill nodded, then ran away to play. 

Autumn came, and then winter. Mr. Erring- 
ton’s energy never flagged ; and it was a happy 
day for the children when the foundation-stone 
was laid for the mission-room on Chilton Com- 
mon. 

Mona was asked to lay it, but for some time 
she hesitated, and suggested that Jill should 
do it instead. Jill flatly refused, and Miss 
Falkner encouraged her in her refusal. 

'' I do not hold with children being placed 
in prominent positions,” she said to Mona 
when they were talking the matter over. Jill 
is a clever child, and wants to be repressed 
rather than pushed forward. I am glad to see 
she has the good sense to be shy of such a cere- 
mony.” 

But I am such a beginner,” said Mona 
humbly. ‘‘I have never gone in for good 
works, and lots of my friends — even Miss 
Webb — think that my illness has left my brain 
a little weak and queer.” 

“ Your friends could not think laying a 
foundation-stone queer conduct. And if they 
do, what does it matter ? ” 


i86 


Jill’s Red Bag 


The children were having their talk about 
it round the school-room fire. 

I shouldn’t like to lay a foundation-stone,” 
said Jack. “Fancy, if you put it a little 
crooked, then the whole place would tumble 
down ! Sam told me so.” 

“ I should love to build it all,” said Jill. 
“ Sticking bricks and stones into clay or wet 
stuff is lovely ! But I couldn’t do it with a lot 
of people and clergymen looking on. I hate 
people staring ! ” 

“Is it the very bottomest thtone of all?” 
questioned Bumps with big eyes. 

“ Of course, stupid ! ” said Jack. “ Do you 
think it would be the top one ? ” 

“ I asked Mr. Errington what it was going 
to be called,” said Jill. “ He says he doesn’t 
want exactly a church there, because he wants 
to give them tea and magic lanterns in the 
winter, so it’s a fnission-room, and do you 
know what he says we can call it ? The Bethel 
Mission-room.” 

Jack and Bumps set up a cheer at once. 

“ It’s called after our stones,” went on Jill 
proudly. “ Mr. Errington said it had been 
built by tenths. And he told me the meaning 
of Bethel, which I didn’t know before.” 

“What does it mean?” 


Mona’s Tenth 


187 


“ The house of God.” 

There was silence for a minute, then Jack 
said slowly — 

“But our place under the pines isn’t that.” 

“ I like to think it is sometimes,” said Jill 
quietly. 

The day came at last for the ceremony of 
laying the foundation-stone. Even Miss Webb, 
who viewed most of Mona’s proceedings now 
with raised eyebrows, entered into the spirit 
of it with real heartiness. 

When they drove out to the desolate spot 
all the inhabitants of the Common were there, 
and Jack and Jill walked amongst them, greet- 
ing them as old friends. 

Mona performed her part very gracefully. 

Mr. Errington had a good many friends 
present, but none enjoyed it all so much as the 
children. 

“This is only the very beginning of it,” Jill 
confided to a rough specimen of girlhood, 
who had been making depreciatory remarks, 
after the service was over. “You wait till 
your room is built, then you’ll see.” 

“What shall us see? A parson in a pul- 
pit?” 

“ You’ll see the way to the Golden City,” 
Jill said enthusiastically. And Mr. Erring- 


i88 


Jill’s Red Bag 


ton will be always telling you about it till you 
all set out and go. And he’ll give you teas 
and magic lanterns. I wish I lived here to 
see the workmen build it. I should come and 
watch them every day, and make them hurry.” 

As they drove home in the carriage with 
Mona they heard a startling bit of news. 

It was Miss Webb who began talking of the 
room. 

Mr. Errington is quite down at leaving. 
He told me it is only his wife’s health that 
takes him. He hopes to hurry on the building 
— ^but I doubt if it will be finished before the 
New Year. It is strange that as soon as he 
gets his desire about this wild bit of his parish 
that he should have to leave it.” 

“ Is Mr. Errington going away ? ” asked 
Jill breathlessly. 

Mona looked at her gravely as she an- 
swered — 

“Yes, I suppose you can all know it now. 
You can’t be as sorry as I am. I was just get- 
ting to like him so.” 

Miss Webb gave a little laugh. 

“ It wasn’t so long ago that you used to 
vote him a bore, my dear. There are plenty of 
clergy. We must hope for one as good.” 

“ But,” cried Jill, “ he can’t go away. Who 


Mona’s Tenth 


189 


is to take our bag every Saturday? And the 
room is for him to preach in. Oh, how dread- 
ful of him to go ! ’’ 

“ Lady Crane has the gift of the living, has 
she not ? said Miss Webb, addressing Mona. 

“ Yes, I believe so,” said Mona listlessly. 

Perhaps she may give it to Cecil Arnold. 
He is her nephew ! ” 

A rich colour came into Mona’s cheeks. 

“ Oh, no,” she said confusedly, “ Why 
should she? Besides, he would never leave his 
work in the north.” 

Miss Webb nodded her head knowingly. 

Wait and see, my dear; wait and see! ” 

It was a great blow to the children, and 
as soon as lessons were over the next morning 
Jack and Jill ran off to the Vicarage as hard 
as they could go. 

Mrs. Errington received them; her husband 
was out. 

''We don’t know what to do,” Jill said 
breathlessly. "If Mr. Errington goes away, 
we can’t get on at all. Do beg him not to. 
Why does he go? ” 

" My dear child, we are both very loth to 
leave, but circumstances are against us. I have 
been told by the doctors that I shall never 
be better here. If we take this other living 


190 


Jill’s Red Bag 


offered to us, I may be able to help Mr. Erring- 
ton instead of being a constant source of anxi- 
ety to him.” 

'‘It’s the bag,” Jill said; ‘‘it’s the bag I 
am thinking of. I can’t bring it to a strange 
clergyman. I hate strangers! It’s too bad 
of you!” 

Jill actually began to cry. 

“You see,” explained Jack, “some people 
laugh at us. Now Mr. Errington never did. 
He understood from the very beginning. 
Mona used to laugh, but she doesn’t now. 
Miss Webb always does. She told Jill she 
was a Mrs. Judas, for she kept the bag. Mona 
scolded her. And Sir Henry Talbot always 
teases us. He asks if we have taken up any 
more trespassers. They think themselves very 
funny, but we don’t think them funny, we hate 
them when they talk so.” 

“ I am sure no clergyman would laugh at 
you,” said Mrs. Errington gently. “ We will 
tell our successor all about you, and he will be 
only too glad to help you in every way he can.” 

“ But what will you tell him about us ? ” 
asked Jill, drying her eyes. “ You won’t tell 
him of our scrapes, will you? Say that we al- 
ways mean to be good, it’s just accidents hap- 
pening when we aren’t. And tell him he has 


Mona’s Tenth 


191 


just to take the money and use it for God, and 
ask no questions. Because, when the room is 
built our money will still be going on. We 
shall never stop, you know. We’re not like 
Sam’s father. He says his cabbages are done, 
and he can’t grow any more in the winter. But 
I know he has got some turnips, and I’m 
going to talk to him about them. Oh, I do 
wish you weren’t going away ! ” 

It was the general wish in the village, and 
there was great concern amongst all Mr. 
Errington’s parishioners. His church was 
never so full as during the two months before 
his departure, and as Bumps pathetically re- 
marked — 

There’ll be no one like him in church ever 
again. There never are twos of anybody, ex- 
cept twins, and Mr. Errington isn’t a twin.” 


XIV 


YOir AND YOUR RED BAG ARE AT THE BOTTOM 
OF IT ALL 1 

M ona was looking out of the drawing- 
room window one fine bright frosty 
afternoon, when she saw Jill tearing 
out of the stable-yard with the large carriage- 
whip in her hand. 

Her face was almost as red as her Tam 
o’ Shanter, and Mona exclaimed to Miss 
Webb— 

“ I wonder what is the matter ! Jill is in 
one of her tempers. I hope she is not 
going to wreak vengeance on any human 
being.” 

‘‘ Oh, let her alone,” said Miss Webb. ‘‘ She 
must have an explosion now and then, for the 
way she bottles up her spirits now is marvel- 
lous. Miss Falkner seems to have no com- 
plaint to find with any of them. It is not 
natural.” 

Mona laughed lightly, but putting on a wrap 
she slipped out of the house and crossed the 
lawn. Angry voices led her to the pine wood. 
There before the trespassers’ board she found 


192 


the Bottom of It All!’" 


193 


Jill brandishing her whip with fury in her face. 
Jack was by her side, armed with a stout stick; 
and Bumps, well in the rear, was picking up 
fir cones, and throwing them wildly at every- 
body. 

Two workmen were the aggressors; the 
pile of stones was scattered on the ground, and 
they seemed to be enjoying the children's 
wrath. 

‘'Who put tjiose stones up?" Jill was 
screaming. ''I did, and you're thieves to 
touch them ! " 

“But they corned from that there wall," 
argued the younger of the men ; “ and us have 
orders to build it up. 'Twasn't business of 
yours to take them stones from the wall. 
Back they shall go,, or my name isn't Jim 
Hall!" 

“You dare to touch one!" shouted Jack. 
“ Come on and try, we're ready for you ! " 

“ You're trespassers and thieves ! " cried Jill. 
“ Come on ! I have my whip ready ! " 

It was at this juncture Mona stepped up. 
Directly she appeared, Jill dashed forward. 

“Look at these men,, they've pulled down 
our stones! They did it on purpose! They 
saw the board and they laughed at it. They 
are cheeking us now.” 


194 


Jill’s Red Bag 


Hush ! said Mona. Then turning to 
the men she asked very quietly, “ Are you 
working for me ? ” 

The elder touched his cap. 

Yes, ma’am — leastways for Mr. Court- 
ney.” 

“ What did Mr. Courtney tell you to do? ” 
To make good that there stone wall, 
ma’am.” 

‘‘Then why are you here?” 

“We thought best to take what stones we 
could from here ? ” 

“ That was quite unnecessary. You had 
better put together that pile that you have de- 
stroyed. I will wait here till you have 
done it.” 

But Jill objected. 

“They shan’t touch one of them with their 
dirty hands ! I will do it myself. Oh, Mona, 
it’s a shame of them! They deserve a good 
thrashing. If I were a man I would give it to 
them I ” 

Mona put her hand on Jill’s shoulder. 

“ Gently, dear ! I am sorry about it, but they 
did not understand. If you don’t want them 
here they can return to their work ! ” 

“ I never wish to see them again,” was the 
vehement retort. “ I — I — feel like Elijah. I 


‘‘ At the Bottom of It All ! ” 


195 


should like to call down fire from heaven to 
burn them up ! 

Jill’s passion was great. Mona wisely said 
nothing till the workmen had disappeared, then 
she remarked — 

“ When you have put your pile of stones 
straight, Jill, you can run and find Sam for 
me. I will tell him to make a little fence round 
this, and then you will have no more tres- 
passers.” 

She walked away, for she judged rightly 
that work would soon subdue Jill’s excitement. 
The idea of the fence delighted the children, 
and they set to work with a will. 

Nobody dared to touch Jacob’s stones, I 
know,” said Jill; who could not quite get over 
the act of sacrilege, as she considered it. 

'' Well,” observed Jack, “ the Bible mightn’t 
tell about it, you see. He had no fence.” 

“ I know it was always there,” persisted Jill, 
“because Miss Falkner told me that Jacob 
went back there after, and made a proper 
altar.” 

“Yes,” said Jack triumphantly; “because 
the other one had been knocked down. Of 
course he did.” 

Jill pondered, as she tried to build up the 
stones in a tidy form. 


196 


Jill’s Red Bag 


Then/’ she said, '' we must have a proper 
altar, and I’ll get some of the mortar that those 
horrid men are using for their wall. We’ll 
wait till they have gone to their tea, and then 
we’ll do it.” 

A resolve once taken by Jill was generally 
carried out. The three children came in to 
their school-room tea triumphant. 

‘‘ We’ve been building,” announced Bumps, 
“ and the th tones are all thtucked together ! ” 

“ And Sam is going to make a fence round, 
and no one will be let in! ” added Jack: 

“ And if the clergyman that’s coming isn’t 
nice. I’ve thought of a lovely plan for our bag ; 
but it’s a secret, and I’ll tell you, Miss Falkner, 
to-night when I’m in bed ! ” 

Miss Falkner asked for an explanation of 
these fragmentary sentences, and her little 
pupils gradually enlightened her. 

When Jill was in bed, she made her governess 
stoop down, and putting her arms round her 
neck, whispered — 

“ I’ve left a hole amongst the stones at the 
back, and I can cover it up by fixing in a loose 
stone. So I thought my red bag would go in 
beautifully, and then it would really be taken 
care of by God Himself. It couldn’t be in a 
nicer place, could it? It would be like the ark 


^‘At the Bottom of It All!” 


197 


in the tabernacle — in a holy place. And I’m 
not going to tell Bumps or Jack. Jack tells 
Bumps everything, and Bumps tells everybody 
else!” 

Miss Falkner looked rather doubtful over the 
wisdom of this, but Jill seemed in such delight 
over the idea that she had not the heart to damp 
her spirits. 

But before leaving her, she said very 
gently — 

‘‘ How has your walk been to-day, Jill? A 
few stumbles, I am afraid.” 

Yes,” whispered Jill. Tve told God I 
was sorry, only I was what the Bible calls 
^ righteously angry.’ I would like to have 
called down fire from heaven upon those men. 
I told Mona so.” 

“ But Jill, that was not ■ righteous ’ at all. 
The men made a mistake. You should have 
spoken gently to them.” 

No,” said Jill, “ they n^eant to do it, and 
they laughed at it, and I believe Sam’s father 
is as bad. Since his cabbages are gone, he 
won’t pay up his tenth, and he says we have a 
heathen altar!” 

Jill’s cheeks began to get hot and red. Miss 
Falkner stooped down and kissed her. 

‘‘ If your Bethel is going to make you get 


198 


Jill’s Red Bag 


angry — if it makes you trip and stumble on 
your way to the Gold-en City, it had better be 
destroyed at once.^^ 

Jill looked up with big eyes. 

Oh, Miss Falkner ! How can you ? ” 

“ You mustn’t make an idol of it, Jill, or you 
will be the heathen. You grieve Jesus Christ 
by your hot temper. Perhaps you think more 
of your ^ Bethel ’ than you do of Him ! ” 

“ I’m afraid I did to-day,” acknowledged 
Jill with shame. 

Then when her governess had left her, she 
put down her hot cheek upon the pillow, and 
murmured, “ I’m afraid it wasn’t ‘ righteous ’ 
anger after all.” 

The Christmas holidays came and went. 
Mona was much more with her little brother 
and sisters in Miss Falkner’s absence. Every 
morning she came into the school-room, and 
had the Bible-reading with them. They got 
into many scrapes in their leisure moments, but 
on the whole were far better behaved than 
formerly. In the beginning of the New Year 
the “ Bethel Mission-room ” was opened. Per- 
haps to the inhabitants of Chilton Common it 
lacked a little of the excitement and gaiety with 
which it had been painted by Jack and Jill; but 
it was a very enjoyable day to all, and a sit- 


“At the Bottom of It All!’’ 


199 


down tea was given to young and old, at which, 
of course, Jill was very much to the fore. 

Mr. Errington left very soon afterwards, 
and for two months his successor was not 
known. 

Then one afternoon, when the children were 
roasting chestnuts over the school-room fire, 
and Miss Falkner was writing a letter to her 
mother, Mona appeared at the door. 

“ I want to introduce our new vicar,” she 
said very quietly. 

The children jumped up from the hearth-rug 
in the greatest state of excitement. 

Why ! ” exclaimed Jill, as a tall broad- 
shouldered figure followed their sister into the 
room, it’s the trespasser ! ” 

'' Yes, I am afraid it is,” said Mr. Arnold in 
his deep and hearty voice. “ But we parted 
friends, did we not ? ” 

‘‘ I should think we did just I Why we 
would rather have you as our clergyman than 
any one else in the whole world ! ” 

Come I That's satisfactory. I did not 
think I would have so warm a welcome I ” 

Do you like chestnuts? ” asked Jack, hold- 
ing out a charred one between two grubby 
fingers. 

Don't I?” 


200 


Jill’s Red Bag 


In a moment Mr. Arnold was down on the 
rug like a school-boy, and the children’s 
tongues went fast. Mona looked on smiling; 
then she said to Miss Falkner — 

What is the fascination of roasting chest- 
nuts, I wonder. Why do all children love it 
so? You burn your fingers and the chestnuts, 
eat more ashes than anything else, and scorch 
your face to pieces ! ” 

I think it is the love of cooking them,” 
said Miss Falkner. 

“ It is the danger and difficulty surround- 
ing the undertaking,” said Mr. Arnold, rescu- 
ing two chestnuts that had rolled over into the 
fire. Difficulties stimulate children, they do 
not deter them.” 

“ I wish,” said Mona thoughtfully, “ they 
always stimulated me.” 

Mr. Arnold looked at her, but Jill broke in 
impetuously. 

Do you know about the Bethel Mission- 
room, Mr. Arnold? Will you go there on Sun- 
day and preach to the people?” 

He nodded. 

“Yes, I have heard all about it from Mr. 
Errington, also about a certain red bag.” 

“Ah!” exclaimed Jack; “Jill has hidden 
that bag away somewhere since Mr. Errington 


‘‘At the Bottom of It All!"’ 


201 


went. I say it isn't fair, and Bumps and I aren't 
going to give her any more money till she tells 
us where it is." 

Yeth," echoed Bumps, and we've looked 
everywhere, and Jill says, she won't give it to 
another clergyman unleth he is nith ! " 

“ Am I nice? " asked Mr. Arnold, with one 
of his sudden smiles. 

Jill looked at him gravely. 

“ I will bring it to you every Saturday," she 
said, “ even if there's only a few half-pennies. 
But Sam gives us two shillings, and Annie 
threepence, and Norah and Rose give us some 
when we see them, so sometimes we have quite 
a lot. Only you'll tell us what you're going to 
do with it, won't you?" 

Indeed, I will. We will have a long talk 
about it." 

'' And how are all your boys and girls ? " 
asked Jill. 

Mr. Arnold's face shadowed instantly. He 
was looking ill and careworn; it was only in 
talking to the children that his face lightened 
up. 

‘^Ah," he said; my poor people! Don't 
remind me of them. Nothing but the doc- 
tor's orders would have made me leave 
them." 


202 


Jill’s Red Bag 


Then speaking to Miss Falkner, he said — 

“ I have been ill, otherwise you would 
not have seen me here. As it is, I fear 
I shall not find sufficient scope for my ener- 
gies ! ” 

“ You have over a thousand in your parish,’’ 
said Mona, and Chilton Common and other 
outlying districts in addition. I should think 
there was scope enough for one man’s energies, 
especially as that man has already had a seri- 
ous breakdown. Now come and have some 
tea. Miss Webb will wonder what we are 
doing.” 

Mona carried him off, and the children did 
not see him again for some time. 

“ Miss Falkner,” asked Jill one day, why 
doesn’t Miss Webb like Mr. Arnold? She 
doesn’t, you know.” 

Nonsense, Jill, you mustn’t have such 
fancies.” 

But it isn’t fancy. I was looking at Punch 
in the drawing-room window seat yesterday, 
and Miss Webb said to Mona, ' Well, all I can 
say is, that I wish Cecil Arnold had rather 
gone to Timbuctoo than come here.’ And 
Mona said, ^ Nonsense! ’ like you said just now, 
and Miss Webb said, ‘ I see the end. I shouldn’t 
have been afraid a year ago.’ And then she 


At the Bottom of It All ! 


203 


said she was sorry for poor Sir Henry Talbot. 
Now what did she mean, Miss Falkner? What 
is the end going to be? ” 

“ You shouldn’t listen to grown-up people’s 
talk, Jill.” 

But I couldn’t help hearing.” 

“ Then you should never repeat what you 
hear.” 

Jill subsided. 

Mr. Arnold delighted Jill’s heart a few Sun- 
days after his arrival by taking for his text the 
words: “Then the people rejoiced, for that 
they offered willingly, because with perfect 
heart they offered willingly to the Lord. 

“ But who am I, and what is my people, that 
we should be able to offer so willingly after this 
sort, for all things come of Thee and of Thine 
own have we given Thee.” 

He spoke of the different things people re- 
ceived from God, and how very few of them 
they offered back, and then in plain and simple 
words he touched upon the system of tenth- 
giving. 

“ There is not a little boy or girl in this 
church, however poor; there is not a landed pro- 
prietor, however rich, who cannot side by side 
give this small portion of what they receive 
fo the service of God. The poorest labourer 


204 


JilFs Red Bag 


can spare a tenth; he will be blessed in giving 
it, and joy will be his portion.” 

And then he astonished his congregation by 
saying he would be in his vestry every Satur- 
day evening from six to eight, to accept the 
tenths of any of his parishioners who liked to 
bring them to him. 

There was great discussion amongst his con- 
gregation afterwards. 

“ I have no patience with these new-fangled 
notions,” said Miss Webb. Cecil always did 
ride a hobby, and this money question is utterly 
ridiculous. We are not Jews, thank good- 
ness ! ” 

“I think he is right,” said Mona quietly. 

Oh, of course you do, my dear. He will 
be able to twist you round his little finger now.” 

Mona was silent. Jill burst in opportunely — 

“ I shall take my red bag every Saturday to 
him, Mona. I wonder if anybody else will be 
there.” 

You and your red bag are at the bottom 
of it all I do believe, Jill ! ” said Miss Webb 
laughing. ‘‘ This wonderful Bethel of yours 
is turning every one crazy ! ” 

Jill did not like to be laughed at. She walked 
on with dignity, and did not mention the sub- 
ject again. 


XV 


‘‘ WORN OUT IN A GOOD SERVICE ” 

ESS’ONS and play were the daily rou- 



tine now. The children kept out of 


scrapes wonderfully. Perhaps it was 
Miss Falkner’s quick interference before real 
harm was done, or perhaps it was as she liked 
to hope, her pupils were getting more consider- 
ate of other people's feelings. 

‘‘ It is their lively imagination, and their 
passion for acting out what they hear or read, 
that works such mischief,” Miss Falkner said 
to Mona one day when they were talking over 
the children. They are reckless of conse- 
quences. Future results are never taken into 
consideration.” 

She said this when she had just stopped Jack 
from lighting a fire in the loft. 

He was a prisoner in hiding, he in- 
formed her, and he was going to cook him- 
self a meal. Bumps had been foraging for 
him, and had brought him a raw piece of 
bacon. 

I was going to be most careful,” he in- 
formed her. ‘‘ Of course I wouldn't light the 


205 


2o6 


Jill’s Red Bag 


hay. I pushed it all away, and had got quite 
an empty corner ! '' 

But one day the children’s energies were 
turned in another direction. They were all de- 
voted to Mr. Arnold, and as he lived alone with 
an old housekeeper who was really fond of 
children, they very often found their way over 
to the vicarage. Sometimes he invited them to 
tea with him^ and it was when they returned 
one evening from this dissipation that they an- 
nounced in the drawing-room — 

We are going to get Mr. Arnold a wife ! ” 
Miss Webb exploded with laughter. She 
was reading the newspaper over the fire. Mona 
was consulting with Miss Falkner at a table 
near about a certain girls’ club in the village 
that she wished to start. She turned with a 
look of horror at the speaker, who of course 
was Jill; Miss Falkner was too accustomed to 
her pupils’ speeches to be surprised. 

Yes,” put in Jack. “ There ought to be a 
Mrs. Arnold, like Mrs. Errington; we told 
him so ! ” 

To make his tea,” said Bumps breathlessly, 
and knit his thocks ! ” 

And have a pretty drawing-room and flow- 
ers,” said Jill. He doesn’t sit in the drawing- 
room like Mr. Errington did. He sits in his 


‘‘Worn Out in a Good Service” 207 


study, and there ought to be a Mrs. Arnold to 
help him in the village.'’ 

“ And what are your vicar's opinions on this 
important subject?" asked Miss Webb. 

We've told him we'll get him one. We 
know more people than he does, and we know 
just the sort he wants. She must be just like 
Mrs. Errington, only not an invalid." 

And we aren't going to tell," said Jack 
wisely, “ but we've picked out somebody." 

“ Yeth, and we're going to thend her to Mr. 
Arnold to-morrow ! " burst forth Bumps ex- 
citedly. 

Miss Webb threw up her hands in mock as- 
tonishment. 

‘‘Really! You don't mean it! And when 
is the wedding going to be ? " 

Mona here interposed. 

“ Jill, you are old enough to know better. 
You must not go to the vicarage at all, if you 
talk such nonsense." 

“It isn't nonsense!" Jill said indignantly. 
“ Mr. Arnold wants a wife, he said he did; and 
we're going to find one for him." 

She rushed out of the room like a small 
whirlwind. 

“ Who is the happy lady. Jack? " asked Miss 
Webb inquisitively. 


2o8 


JilFs Red Bag 


Jack was silent. 

“ Miss Falkner, you will have to assert your 
authority and stop this/^ said Mona, half laugh- 
ing, yet half vexed. 

“ Let’s tell. Jack,” said Bumps, who loved 
giving information. 

But Jack shook his head. 

“ We didn’t even tell Mr. Arnold; we said 
we would send him some one to-morrow.” 

“ And have you told her her fate ? ” asked 
Miss Webb. 

‘‘ Jill is going to see Miss Grant in the morn- 
ing,” said Jack witl^ dignity, and not perceiv- 
ing he had let the cat out of the bag. 

Miss Webb began to laugh afresh, and even 
Mona smiled. Miss Grant was a lady between 
fifty and sixty who was an indefatigable parish 
worker, but whose strong will and love of in- 
terference had always been a sore trial to her 
vicar. 

“ You think she’ll make him a good wife? ” 
Miss Webb said, trying to draw the children 
out. 

She’s just the sort to make tea,” said Jack, 
and she’ll be much more help to him 
than Mrs. Errington would be, or any one 
else.” 

‘‘ I think you will have to keep certain small 


^‘Worn Out in a Good Service’’ 209 


people hard at lessons to-morrow, Miss Falk- 
ner. This proposed visit must be nipped in 
the bud.” 

Miss Falkner took her charges off to the 
school-room and presently Jill appeared. 

She seemed to have forgotten the subject 
under discussion, for she was full of a plan she 
had talked over with Mr. Arnold of supporting 
a children’s cot in the local hospital. 

“ And my bag will begin it, like it did the 
Bethel Room. Don’t you think it lovely ? ” 

Just before the children went to bed. Miss 
Falkner picked up an old copy-book on the 
floor of Jill’s bedroom. She did not often look 
at her scribblings, but the first words startled 
her: 

“ Dear Miss Grant,” — 

She read on, with an anxious face, yet with 
a keen sense of humour — 

“ We’ve been having tea with Mr. Arnold. 
We think you had better be his wife. He has 
not anybody to do things like Mrs. Errington 
did, and we told him we would find a wife for 
him. We said we would send her to-morrow. 
He wants a wife, and so he will expect you. 
Please tell him you came from us. And have 


210 


Jill’s Red Bag 


your wedding’-day very soon, because we shall 
all come and see you married. Mr. Arnold told 
us we could do this, so it is not wrong. 

“ Your affectionate friend, 

‘‘Jill Baron. 

“P.S. — Jack and Bumpsi and I chose you, 
and we know Mr. Arnold will be pleased.’’ 

“ Jill,” said Miss Falkner sharply, “ what 
is this ? ” 

“ Oh,” said Jill unconcernedly, “ it’s a copy 
of a letter I sent Miss Grant. I wanted to do 
it neatly, so I wrote it in there first.” 

“ But you have never sent it ? ” 

“ Yes, I did. Annie was going out, and she 
took it to the post.” 

“ But Jill, that was very naughty.” 

“ Why?” 

“You know why. Your sister was very 
vexed at your talking about such things. I 
don’t know what she will say now. You must 
come and tell her what you have done.” 

“ Oh, I can’t ; please don’t make me — Miss 
Webb will laugh. It isn’t naughty. We simply 
love Mr. Arnold. And why shouldn’t he have 
a wife as well as Mr. Errington? He didn’t 
mind us doing it.” 

“ He never told you to write to Miss Grant.” 


‘‘Worn Out in a Good Service” 


21 I 


‘‘No, because it was only afterwards that 
we thought of her.” 

Miss Falkner, in spite of her entreaties, took 
her straight to Mona, who was in her bed- 
room dressing for dinner. 

“ I have brought Jill to tell you what she 
has done, as I think you ought to know.” 

And then Miss Falkner left the little de- 
linquent, who stood copy-book in hand with 
hanging head before her eldest sister. 

“ It's — it's a letter I've sent to Miss Grant,” 
said Jill. 

Mona took the copy-book from her. 

“ Oh, Jill ! ” she exclaimed in real distress. 
“This is really very naughty of you. You 
may make a great deal of mischief, and annoy 
Miss Grant extremely. I don't know how we 
can put it straight.” 

“ I don't see what I've done wrong,” said 
Jill stubbornly. 

“ Little girls have no business to interfere 
with grown-up people. I don't know what Miss 
Grant will think; I must see Miss Falkner. 
Ask her to come here, and you had better go 
straight to bed.” 

“ It's always the way,” Jill confided to 
Bumps when they were both in bed that eve- 
ning; “everything I do turns out wrong. Chil- 


212 


Jill’s Red Bag 


dren can’t be kind to grown-up people. It’s no 
good to try. They won’t let them. And Mr. 
Arnold will never have a wife, if he doesn’t 
have Miss Grant. There’s no one else like her.” 

“ But you sent her a letter/’ said Bumps 
comfortingly. 

“ Yes, but Mona is going to do something 
dreadful to-morrow. I know she is.” 

As a matter of fact Mona did nothing. She 
felt powerless to act. Miss Webb counselled 
silence. She seemed to be enjoying the whole 
thing; Miss Falkner spent nearly an hour in 
bringing Jill to reason, but she repented of 
some of her words when they happened to 
meet Mr. Arnold in their morning walk. Jill 
flew to him at once. 

‘‘ Oh, Tm so sorry. I really did it for the 
best. I told Miss Grant to go to you, but Miss 
Falkner says I oughtn’t to have anything to 
do with husbands and wives. She says Miss 
Grant will be made uncomfortable and so will 
you; and I wouldn’t make you uncomfortable 
for worlds!” 

Mr. Arnold looked at first as if he did not 
know what she was talking about; then he 
began to laugh, and his laugh was so infectious 
that Miss Falkner could not help joining him. 

Jill eagerly continued to explain — 


“Worn Out in a Good Service’’ 


213 


“ Hasn’t she been to you ? Then perhaps 
it is all right. I’ll never try to find a wife for 
you again. Miss Falkner says wives can’t be 
found like we thought, and she says God is the 
only one that can find one for you.” 

Mr. Arnold looked perfectly coolly into Miss 
Falkner’s face. 

“ Thank you.” he said. I believe in that 
too. My little friends were too anxious on my 
behalf. And as to Miss Grant, I wish her a 
more suitable partner than myself, Jill. Is your 
sister in? I want to ask her about a parish 
matter.” 

He left them, and crossed the pine wood to 
reach the house, but he never got there, for 
he saw Mona leaning against the new wooden 
fence looking with dreamy, wistful eyes at the 
children’s ‘‘Bethel,” and he went straight to 
her. 

The scent of the pines, the pale blue sky be- 
hind them, and the quiet sacredness of the spot 
rested and soothed Mona’s soul. She turned 
at the sound of his footsteps, but never changed 
her position ; when he looked into her face he 
found her eyes were full of tears. 

“ I come here when life is difficult,” she said, 
trying to speak lightly. I have been thinking 
over Christ’s words, ‘ How hardly shall they 


214 


Jill's Red Bag 


that have riches enter into the kingdom of God/ 
I long sometimes to ease myself of the burden 
and responsibility of my money, by casting it 
to the winds. Can you advise me ? I want to 
be a faithful steward. What shall I do ? 

Cecil Arnold's opportunity had come. 

It was some days before the children knew 
the result of that interview. They were all 
three tidying up their “ Bethel/' which Miss 
Webb said now reminded her of a small church- 
yard, when they saw their sister and Mr. Ar- 
nold slowly approach them. 

They were close to the fence before they no- 
ticed the children, then Mona started, a rich 
colour came into her cheeks and she tried to 
withdraw her hand from Mr. Arnold's arm. 
He held it fast, and said to her with a twinkle 
in his eye — 

“ Allow me to receive my congratulations. 
I must enlighten them." 

Two trespassers again, Jill ! " he called out. 
“ May we come inside your gate ? " 

“Yes," said Jill, stopping in her feat of 
brushing dead leaves away; “you and Mona 
aren't trespassers, for you belong to our Tenth 
Society, and you don't laugh at our ‘ Bethel.' " 
“ Laugh at it? " said Mona tremulously. “ I 
shall bless it all my days ! " 


“Worn Out in a Good Service’’ 


215 


Then Mr. Arnold spoke, and his voice was 
hushed and reverent, though there was a glad 
light in his eye. 

‘‘ I thought you children would like to know 
whom God has graciously given to me as a 
wife.” 

Why it’s Mona ! ” 

Surprise and delight were in the children’s 
faces. 

Jill exclaimed — I never should have thought 
of Mona. She doesn’t seem like a clergyman’s 
wife, but it’s awfully nice.” 

“Why don’t I please you?” Mona asked. 
“ Not good enough, I know.” 

“ Well, I think you’re too smiling and — and 
too young.” 

Mr. Arnold laughed. 

“And I am too old and grave. But, Jill, 
as a boy and girl we promised to marry each 
other, so we are only keeping our promise.” 

“ Why have you been so long before you 
did it? ” asked Jill with interest. 

That question remained unanswered. 

Jack and Jill were full of excitement and 
curiosity. Bumps was the only one who seemed 
disappointed. 

“We can’t never find a wife for him now, 
he hath found hithelf one! ” she lamented. 


2i6 


Jill’s Red Bag 


She and Jill were standing by their lodge 
gate next day when they saw Miss Grant 
coming along. For one moment Jill thought 
of flight, then she bravely stood her ground. 
They had been bowling their hoops along, and 
were a little breathless with their run. Miss 
Grant looked at them severely, then came 
across the road to them. 

“ Jill,” she said, what do you mean by 
writing me such a letter? Who told you to 
do it ? I am surprised that a little girl of your 
age should act so forwardly ! ” 

Jill got crimson at once. 

‘‘ It was all a mistake, please,” she said, “ and 
Fm sorry you got it. We were trying hard to 
find Mr. Arnold a wife.” 

“ Who put you up to it ? ” demanded Miss 
Grant. “I consider it a grave insult, and I 
was thinking of seeing your sister about the 
matter. She and your governess don’t know 
how to keep you in order.” 

No one put me up to it,” replied Jill 
eagerly. I made a mistake, and it’s a good 
thing you didn’t go to him. Please forget 
it.” 

“ Yeth,” put in Bumps with an emphatic nod 
of the head, ''he didn’t want you after all, 
becauth he has got Mona.” 


“Worn Out in a Good Service'’ 


217 


Miss Grant beat a hasty retreat. She never 
mentioned the subject again. 

On the following Sunday Jill went to the 
vestry to hand in her bag. She had not been 
the only one who had responded to the vicar’s 
invitation, for several of the villagers had ap- 
peared, and though their offerings were small, 
they were willing ones. She stood waiting 
whilst the village shopkeeper and a farmer’s 
wife were taking their tenth out of their well- 
worn purses. Then a voice behind her startled 
her. It was Sam’s father. 

Eh, Miss Jill, here I be after you and your 
bag agen ! ” 

“Oh, Mr. Stone, what have you got? I’m 
so glad you haven’t given up ! ” 

“ I did have a mind to, as ’ee knows, but 
parson here do seem so set on it that I’ve been 
lookin’ through some savin’s o’ mine.” 

Mr. Arnold said good-night to the two 
women, and turned to the old man. 

“ Are you bringing your money to me^ 
Stone?” he asked quietly. 

“ Yes, sir, that I be— ’ee do talk so convince- 
able that I be quite worried till I have done it.” 

“ You must take it back again. I am only 
here to take my Master’s money.” 

Old Mr. Stone rubbed his head. 


2i8 


Jill’s Red Bag 


I see yer meanin’. In course I bring it to 
the A'mighty. ’Twas a mere mistake in 
speech.’' 

The old man counted out of a canvas bag, to 
the astonishment of Jill and his vicar, five 
pounds in silver. 

He moved a step nearer and spoke in a low, 
mysterious tone^ — 

“Fifty pun have I laid by for death and 
burial, and the rest to Sam, but never a penny 
have I laid by for the God that brought me 
into the world, and that be soon going to take 
me out. The little lass hammered away till I 
gave her my cabbages, then I said ' No more,’ 
for I kep’ thinkin’ o’ these savin’s, that no mor- 
tal body do know on. But, parson, your words 
be hot and uncomfortable, and las’ night I lay 
thinkin’ o’ this here vestry an’ Miss Jill’s red 
bag. ’T wasn’t the sermon, nor yet the 
bag, nor you and Miss Jill put together, 
but ’twas God that spoked to me in the 
night. 

“ ‘ I have loved ’ee,’ He kep’ sayin’, ‘ I have 
loved ’ee, Tummas, I have loved ’ee.’ An’ 
then came that there tex’ ’ee preached on last 
Sunday, ‘ Lovest thou Me ? ’ and I were fair 
broken down. I knowed what the Lord did 
want. The tenth o’ my savin's! And bless 


‘‘Worn Out in a Good Service” 


219 


God, I knows He loves me, and 'tis that has 
brought me ! ” 

“ Thank God,” breathed Mr. Arnold, stretch- 
ing out his hand and taking Thomas Stone's 
hard, horny one in his. “ I take this gladly, 
and thank you in my Master's name.” 

When the old man had gone Jill drew near. 
She held out her bag a little sorrowfully — 

“ It has only three shillings and a half-penny 
in it,” she said; “ and two shillings are from 
Sam, and threepence from Annie. I'm afraid 
our money is very, very little.” 

“ Never mind,” said Mr. Arnold cheerfully, 
seeing her downcast face, God does not ex- 
pect more from you at present.” 

Jill sighed. 

“And my bag is wearing out,” she said 
mournfully, “ and Miss Falkner has no more 
red flannel; she thinks a bag can be made of 
anything, but I like my old one. It has great 
holes, and as fast as I mend them they tear out 
again.” 

“ Poor little bag! ” said Mr. Arnold, taking 
it in his hand. “ It is worn out in a good 
service. Will you let me have it, Jill ? I should 
like to hang it up in the vestry here, so that 
I can look at it sometimes. What is this tape 
on it? Something written on it.” 


220 


Jill's Red Bag 


“ I did that/' said Jill, her face in a glow of 
delight at Mr. Arnold's words. 

He read out slowly — 

“ Of Thine own have we given Thee." 

The letters were crooked and uneven. He 
smiled at Jill, then hung the little bag up on a 
nail. 

She looked at it proudly. All sorrow for its 
uselessness had gone. 

“ It looks lovely up there ! " she said. And 
I don't mind now having a new one." 

But don't have a new motto, Jill. Keep 
that to the end of your life — ‘ Of Thine own 
have we given Thee.' " 

Jill nodded, and then she ran away home. 







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